Box of Lego bricks found in traffic stop hid something worth much more, Texas cops say

A box for Lego bricks and wheels along with two other toy boxes found during a traffic stop actually held something worth much more, Texas officials say.

Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek says one of his investigators pulled a vehicle over at about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22 on Interstate 10 near Flatonia after noticing a “traffic infraction.”

The investigator “detected several criminal indicators,” officials say, and he was granted a consent to search.

While searching the vehicle, the investigator found a luggage bag with three toy boxes inside, according to a news release shared on Facebook.

“The boxes had an inconsistent weight for the toys that should have been in them,” Korenek said.

Authorities say the “boxes of toys” actually held bundles of vacuum sealed cash that “were hidden and packaged consistent to that of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

In total, $199,000 was found.

Besides the Lego box, the other two were for Waddle Bouncer ride-on toys for toddlers.

The 65-year-old driver, of McAllen, was arrested, booked and charged with money laundering, a second-degree felony, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities say the driver has a history of money laundering and was previously arrested after laundering over $3 million.

Flatonia is about 90 miles northeast of San Antonio and 290 miles north of McAllen, where the driver was from.

This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Box of Lego bricks found in traffic stop hid something worth much more, Texas cops say."