Police find $1.8m cash in back of Toyota HiAce pulled over in Western Sydney

Police are looking for the owner of $1.8 million cash found stashed in a Toyota HiAce, but be warned — you could end up in jail if you claim it.

NSW Crime Commissioner Michael Barnes. Picture Julian Andrews

Police are looking for the owner of $1.8 million cash found stashed in a vehicle — the problem is, you could end up in jail if you claim it.

The driver of the Toyota HiAce, who was pulled over by gang-busting Raptor Squad cops in Western Sydney, has 60 days to lodge a claim saying it belongs to him.

So far he has said nothing.

Detectives believe the vehicle was driven over one of the “cash and carry” routes from Western Australia,possibly via South Australia, where five men — aged between 28 and 36 — have since been changed with money laundering and drug offences.

A pallet containing four boxes of cash in vacuum sealed bags was found in the HiAce when police intercepted it in Abbotsbury.

Some of the $1.8m in cash found stashed in a Toyota HiAce, and (right) NSW Crime Commissioner Michael Barnes.

Police said they would allege the money belonged to a cross-border crime syndicate, originating in WA, and was intended to be used to buy illegal drugs to take back to the western state.

Instead it has become the first seizure made under new proceeds of crime confiscation laws by the NSW Crime Commission.

Crime Commission boss Michael Barnes said the laws, which came into force on February 1, allow the commission to seize money or property suspected of being the proceeds of crime — and it is automatically forfeited unless it is claimed.

“This mechanism will save court time and reduce the work Crime Commission staff members need to undertake to confiscate crime derived proceeds when nobody wants to lay claim to the property,’’ Mr Barnes said.

“There are safeguards to ensure no one with a legitimate interest in lawfully acquired property is disadvantaged, but in many cases where large amounts of cash are found, those connected with it are more interested in denying any knowledge of it.

“These provisions will obviate the need for uncontested court cases.”

Police have revealed the vehicle was pulled over in Abbotsbury at 10.50pm on October 27 last year by Raptor Squad Highway Patrol officers as part of an ongoing joint investigation with the WA Police. Drugs and $92,547 cash were found in another car.

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