November 16, 1999 Laredo, Texas
Police and DPS seize 3.6 million dollars in cash from 3 men from Mexico

Department of Public Safety Narcotics officers and Laredo Police Department officers seized approximately $3.6 million in cash and 2,795 pounds of cocaine Monday in Laredo. The street value of the cocaine is believed to be $78,000,000.

The cash seizure is the largest in DPS history, and the second largest ever in the state, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

Three people were arrested in connection with the seizure: Francisco Azpeitia-Castro, 36; Manuel Johnson-Cardenas, 41; and Sergio Celada-Avila, 31. All three are from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Johnson-Cardenas also had a felony warrant for his arrest out of Fort Worth, where he was wanted for conspiracy to distribute 123 pounds of cocaine.

DPS Narcotics and Laredo Police Department Narcotics officers had been watching a residence in south Laredo. A pickup truck left the residence, and DPS troopers stopped the truck soon after. The cash was in plain view in the back of the truck. A second vehicle leaving the residence also was stopped by the Laredo Police canine unit. A usable amount of cocaine was found in a search of the vehicle.

One of the people arrested gave written permission for law enforcement officers to search the residence, where an additional $75,000 in cash and the bulk of the cocaine were discovered.

Source: Texas Department of Safety