A Texas man and woman are accused of money laundering and trying to smuggle thousands of dollars into Mexico after deputies said they found cash bundled in aluminum foil to look like tamales or tacos, KIII-TV reported.
Lori Salazar, 54, and her son, Daniel Salazar, 34, both of Houston, were stopped Late Monday in Riviera, KTRK reported. After Kleberg County deputies observed the pair "acting strange," authorities searched their minivan and found $211,000 contained in tamale wrappers, the television station reported.
Deputies said they also found cash strapped to Lori Salazar's body under her shirt, KTRK reported.
Deputies said the Salazars had tamale-making equipment in their minivan.
"Most illegal trafficking such as this, they try to mask having different purposes for their travel, and who knows?" Chief Deputy Jaime Garza told KIII. "Maybe they were, and maybe they were adding ingredients such as U.S. currency southbound."
Both Salazars were arrested and booked into the Kleberg County Jail on money laundering charges.
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