Did you lose a suitcase containing $500,000? CHP K9 Bruce found it. Here’s how

Officers and a K9 found $500,000 in cash during a search of a vehicle on Interstate 5 after noting “the driver’s extreme nervousness and strange story,” California Highway Patrol said.

A CHP officer stopped a vehicle July 23 on I-5 near Panoche Road and suspected criminal activity after noticing the driver’s behavior, according to a news release.

CHP K9 Officer Bruce alerted officers to an odor of narcotics at the back of the vehicle, the release states.

The driver told authorities he didn’t know what was in the vehicle and that he was paid to drive to Washington state.

During a search, two suitcases were found in the vehicle. The driver said one of the suitcases was his, but he didn’t know what was in the other one, according to the release.

When the unclaimed suitcase was opened, it revealed about $500,000 in cash, the release states. The money was seized and the driver was arrested.

“As with all seized currency, if an owner comes forward they will have the opportunity to claim the currency by appearing before a judge and prove it was obtained legitimately,” the release states.

This story was originally published August 2, 2018 at 5:55 PM.