Florida troopers conducting a traffic stop in Charlotte County found marijuana, $10,000 in cash, and a passenger with a final order of removal from the United States, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
FHP announced the seizure in an Aug. 19 Facebook post, opening with a bit of foreshadowing: “If it smells like it. Sounds like it. And looks like it…it probably is.”
The agency said troopers assigned to its Criminal Interdiction Unit made the traffic stop in Charlotte County. FHP did not say in the post what prompted the stop or disclose the amount of marijuana recovered.
Troopers Find Marijuana and $10,000 in Cash
According to FHP, a closer inspection of the vehicle turned up marijuana and $10,000 in cash.
The agency also said a passenger had a history of drug and fraud offenses and was in the United States illegally with a final order of removal. FHP did not identify the passenger in the post, provide details about the prior offenses, or say whether the driver or passenger was charged in connection with the marijuana or cash.
That leaves some fairly basic questions unanswered, including who FHP says possessed the marijuana, how much was seized, whether the $10,000 was taken as evidence or subject to forfeiture, and what happened to the vehicle’s occupants after the stop.
FHP’s Criminal Interdiction Unit is built for precisely this sort of highway enforcement. The agency describes the unit as specially trained troopers and K-9 handlers assigned across Florida to intercept drug couriers and other criminals on interstates and other highways.
In May, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said the unit’s K-9 teams seized more than 5,200 pounds of narcotics and illegal prescription medications during the previous year, resulting in 1,216 arrests and 3,894 felony charges.
What Does a Final Order of Removal Mean?
A final order of removal is more specific than simply saying someone is in the country without legal authorization.
Federal immigration law provides a process in which an immigration judge determines whether someone is removable from the United States and whether that person qualifies for relief from removal. An order can become final after an appeal is resolved or when the person declines or fails to pursue an available administrative appeal.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a final removal order can provide the legal basis for removal from the country. It does not, by itself, establish that the person had previously been physically deported and then returned to the United States.
FHP’s brief announcement did not explain when the passenger’s removal order was issued, the circumstances behind it, or whether federal immigration authorities took custody of the passenger following the traffic stop.
Facebook Commenters Had Some Fun With the Bust
The combination of marijuana and $10,000 in cash gave commenters plenty to work with.
“Troop F is clearly the Fun Police … there goes my weekend,” one person joked.
Another commenter went with a considerably shorter assessment: “Dude hit the lottery!”
One person who said he spent 11 years with Troop F in Charlotte County praised the specialized operation, writing, “The interdiction program is a great program!”
For now, FHP’s social-media post offers more of a snapshot of the stop than a complete arrest report. The agency has not publicly identified the occupants or detailed any criminal charges stemming from the encounter.
Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.