$24 Million In Cash Discovered In Miami-Dade Police Raid
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MIAMI LAKES (CBSMiami) -- Stuffed in red buckets and wrapped in bundles of $100 bills, detectives discovered at least $24 million in cash at the home of a suspected marijuana trafficker in Miami Lakes.
Found hidden inside the home, the bust is considered the largest cash seizure in Miami-Dade Police Department history, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
Luis Gonzalez-Hernandez, 44, was placed under arrest.
He owns the Blossom Experience, a gardening shop in North Miami, the Miami Herald reported.
The DEA first began investigating him in 2010 after openly discussing the marijuana business with a confidential informant, according to the arrest report. Gonzalez-Hernandez was also connected to the arrest of 11 people in Tennessee during a marijuana investigation earlier this year, it added.
Police picked up his sister, Salma Hernandez, an employee at the Blossom Experience, during a raid of the store.
Inside, investigators allegedly found marijuana labeled "Super Skunk" and "Chernobyl," as well as marijuana seeds. Four different types of steroids were recovered, as well.
At Gonzalez-Hernandez's home, officers were able to locate the dozens of 5-gallon cash-filled buckets within the walls. A loaded Tec-9 pistol with an extended clip was also found with the money.
Gonzalez-Hernandez faces several state charges, including money laundering and marijuana trafficking. Salma Hernandez was charged with possession of a place with the purpose of trafficking.
Gonzalez-Hernandez received a bond of $4 million.
His attorney, Frank Gaviria, takes issue with the amount.
"This is an unreasonable bond under these circumstances," he said "We think this is a very, very tenuous case. At this point, they're connecting the dots that we don't think connect."