Prosecutors want the government to keep almost $500,000 in suspected drug money seized earlier this year by the Kansas Highway Patrol, including money from a stop in Chase County, and they have taken that request to a federal court in Wichita.
Citing court documents, the Wichita Eagle references three separate stops — Feb. 25 in Wabaunsee County, Feb. 28 in Ellsworth County and March 20 in Chase County — with money seizures totaling over $470,000 after traffic violations in all three cases.
The Chase County stop developed on the Kansas Turnpike. The driver, Jonathan Vela, allegedly said he was driving from the Kansas City metro to Albuquerque, New Mexico, but a trained dog alerted to the odor of controlled substances and authorities found more than $165,000 wrapped in plastic and hidden inside a fender panel.
The Wabaunsee County stop happened on Interstate 70, north of the KVOE listening area. The driver, Kelvin Vang, allegedly had over $55,000 hidden in the walls of a cooler and the purse of a passenger.
Nearly $250,000 was found in the Ellsworth County stop.
Prosecutors have asked for permission for the US Marshals Service to keep custody of the money in question.
