Nearly $500,000 in drug money off Arizona streets
Reported by: Leslie Aleman
Last Update: 5:36 pm

Department of Public Safety officers have seized $467,565 in drug money during traffic stops for the month of September.

The largest money seizure was made September 16, when a DPS officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on I-10 eastbound near Tucson.

The officer received consent from the driver of the vehicle to conduct a vehicle search and, as the officer began his search, the driver fled the scene on foot and was not located.

DPS Canine "Rex" alerted other officers to a hidden compartment in the vehicle, which revealed $164,855 in U.S. currency.

The vehicle and currency were seized.

"This seems to be the time of year when the drug cartels are trying to move a large portion of their drug cash through the United States,â€