Watch CBS News

San Jose Used Car Buyer Finds $500K Cocaine Stash

SAN JOSE (CBS/AP) - A San Jose man was stunned to see what a previous owner of his minivan apparently left behind: $500,000 worth of cocaine jammed in the door panels.

Psychologist Charles Preston said the cellophane-wrapped cocaine was found when he took the van to a mechanic. Police were immediately notified.

Preston said he noticed the driver's side window wouldn't go down all the way, but he figured he would live with it because the Town and Country van had a good air conditioning system.

Preston paid $14,000 to Thrifty Car Sales in Santa Clara for the 2008 white van in May 2010.

Thrifty Car Sales owner Ron Battistella said he's willing to replace the van with a drug-free ride.

(Copyright 2011 by CBSSan Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.