Buyer of minivan finds hidden $500K in cocaine

[November 15, 2011]  SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- A California 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.

San Jose psychologist Charles Preston says the cellophane-wrapped cocaine was found when he took the van to a mechanic. Police were immediately notified.

Preston says 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.

The San Jose Mercury News (http://bit.ly/vuTcCX) says 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 says he's willing to replace the van with a drug-free ride.

[Associated Press]

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