$200K worth of cash and drugs seized in New Westminster traffic stop

New Westminster police say they seized more than $200,000 worth of cash and drugs during a traffic stop last week. (NWPD)

New Westminster police say they seized more than $200,000 worth of cash and drugs during a traffic stop last week.

The traffic stop began when members of the New Westminster Police Department's gang suppression unit saw "a suspicious vehicle" near the intersection of 8th Avenue and 10th Street around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18.

In a statement announcing the seizure Tuesday, the NWPD did not say why officers considered the vehicle suspicious.

An officer arrested the driver, who was prohibited from driving, and police searched the vehicle.

Inside, they found $111,000 in cash and multiple vacuum-sealed packages of suspected drugs – including fentanyl, cocaine and crystal meth – which the NWPD says had an estimated street value of $100,000.

A passenger in the vehicle was also arrested, and the investigation is ongoing, police said.

Charges have not yet been laid in the case, but police said they are recommending counts related to trafficking a controlled substance.