Thread: In traffic stop, cash found strapped to children

In traffic stop, cash found strapped to children

April 14, 2012 9:14 PM
ED ASHER/Valley Morning Star

COMBES — Police made a routine traffic stop on the expressway Saturday afternoon and discovered bundles of cash strapped around the waists of three girls, including a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, a police statement said.

The clear plastic bundles of $100s and $20s were concealed under jackets worn by the children, police said.

The total amount of the money was not available Saturday. The cash was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security for further investigation.

A Combes police officer pulled over a gray 2000 Mercedes Benz traveling south on Expressway 77 about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a police statement.

It was not immediately clear why the car was stopped.

The driver, identified as Betzabeth Perez Torres, 23, of Brownsville, appeared to be nervous, police said.

Also in the car were Perez Torres’ daughters, ages 2 and 6, and her 15-year-old sister, police said.

The three girls were wearing jackets and appeared to want to take the jackets off, police said. But Perez Torres told them not to remove the jackets, police said.

Upon further investigation, four clear plastic bags containing money were found concealed around the girls’ waists, police said.

Police Chief Patrick Quill said the money was in various denominations, including $100s and $20s.

Combes police did not remove the bills for counting but turned them over to federal authorities, he said.

Perez Torres and her 15-year-old sister also were turned over to the Department of Homeland Security, the chief said.

Her two daughters were released to an undisclosed family member.

The case remains under investigation, Quill said.

In traffic stop, cash found strapped to children | strapped, traffic, cash - Brownsville Herald

Betzabeth Perez Torres must have watched the same movie I did on TV last weekend where the lead character was strapping cash to her body and smuggling it into the US. Sorry I can't remember the movies name but it was about the mob, a mom and her two sons.