Thread: Workers find nearly $1M stashed inside wall

Workers find nearly $1M stashed inside wall

By Adriana M. Chávez \ El Paso Times
Posted: 02/17/2011 12:00:00 AM MST

Workmen fixing broken pipes that burst because of the freezing weather two weeks ago found a bundle of money inside a wall.

Police would not say how much, but an official knowledgeable about the case said the amount is just shy of $1 million.

El Paso police spokesman Darrel Petry on Wednesday confirmed reports of the discovery inside a condo in the 6200 block of Escondido. Petry said he didn't know how much money was found, but described it as a "large sum."

District Attorney Jaime Esparza also confirmed that the money was found and said the case is still under investigation.

Asked for comment, officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration directed all questions to the El Paso Police Department.

Officials would not say in what denominations were found, what condition the money was in and where it is now.

They also would not speculate on the source of the money and whether is was stashed legally or whether it may be connected to the drug trade.

Speaking in general terms, Petry said that in the past, discoveries of large sums of money have been tied to drug activity.

"That has been the case in a vast majority of the cases that I've seen in the past," Petry said.

Petry said that in those past cases, officers investigated the origins of the money as part of operations with other law enforcement agencies. He said normal procedure in the other cases was to first learn whom the money belonged to, and then continue the investigation from there.
Discoveries of large sums of money are not uncommon in El Paso.

In January, Customs and Border Protection agents seized more than $400,000 in cash during a check of cars headed into Mexico.

Last year, officials seized $530,000 at the Stanton Street bridge and found $212,000 in a Lower Valley home.

In 2006, Mexican officials confiscated $1 million in cash at the Zaragoza Bridge.

U.S. officials have said that most of the large cash seizures are connected to drug trafficking.

The condo is along a strip of properties managed by DANA Properties.

A manager who answered the phone at DANA Properties Wednesday said he had "no comment on anything that has to do with that investigation."

Members of the Sierra Del Sol Homeowners Association also declined to discuss the discovery, citing security concerns.

Adriana M. Chávez may be reached at achavez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6117.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_17407456

What would you do if you found $1 million hidden in your home s walls?

Total Votes = 537

Spend it quick, before they stop me.
25.69 %

Keep it hidden for a while.
48.04 %

Turn it in; it could be drug money.
26.25 %