On Sunday at approximately 12:30 p.m., Indiana State Police Trooper Mike Jones stopped a blue 2003 Ford Explorer for a traffic violation.
By the time he was finished, the three occupants denied any ownership of a suitcase in the vehicle that had $109.020 inside.
Jones stopped the Explorer for following too close and unsafe lane movement west bound at the 30-mile marker (the Chesterton exit) on I-90 on the Indiana Toll Road.
After questioning, the three occupants of the car, who appeared very nervous, had conflicting statements as to where they were going or where they had been. A consent to search was granted.
Jones' K-9 Boss alerted Jones on the rear of the vehicle. Once inside, Boss alerted on a suitcase in the back of the Explorer.
All three occupants denied any ownership of the suitcase and did not want to claim it as theirs. Troopers Jones and Joe White took possession of the suitcase after a waiver was signed.
Upon opening the suitcase, they found $109,020 all bundled in denominations of $100 to $5.
The male white driver from Ohio was issued tickets, and the Hispanic couple from Texas who were the passengers of the Explorer were all let go.
