Jasper County-This afternoon, at approximately 12:15 p.m., on I-65 northbound at the 225 mile marker (this is five miles south of the Demotte exit) Senior Trooper Aaron Trammel stopped a vehicle for traffic violations and a large amount of money was discovered in the vehicle.

Trooper Trammel was working traffic on I-65 when he stopped a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe for traffic violations. Upon further investigation and talking with the driver, Charles R. Allen, 30 of Emeryville, California and his male passenger Sivon P. Smith, 26 of San Francisco, Trammel became suspicious of possible drug activity and did a free air search of the vehicle with his K-9 partner “Ryker”. Ryker alerted on the vehicle. Assisted by a Hobart Police Department Officer a search of the vehicle was made and a large amount of cash was found in each of the three suitcases that were inside the Tahoe; totaling $315,288.

One of the subjects stated that the money was from “side jobs” but they had not claimed it on taxes.

Allen and Smith were arrested and booked into the Jasper County Jail in Rensselaer on Money Laundering a Class C Felony.

This stop is an example of how criminal activity is often discovered on traffic stops. Anyone with information about illegal drug use may call the Lowell Post at 1-800-522-8917, or the Indiana State Police Drug Tip Line at 1-800-453-4756. Tips can be made and kept anonymous.