Police find $1M inside spare tire during traffic stop

Police officers say they found $1 million hidden inside the spare tire of a pick-up truck during a traffic stop.

El Centro Police Department (ECPD) officers say they originally pulled over the driver of the Ford Raptor truck for speeding on Highway 111 near McCabe Road on Tuesday.

Officers say they noticed the driver was acting extremely nervous and abnormal during the traffic stop. The driver consented to a search of the truck, however, officers weren’t able to find anything despite using a K-9.

Officers then took the truck to the Calexico west port of entry where they found the money hidden inside the spare tire with the use an X-ray machine.

The driver and passengers all denied any knowledge or ownership of the money and were released.

Officers are investigating where the money came from.