PASADENA, Calif. - A car purchased at a U.S. marshal's auction four years ago had a hidden surprise for its new owner: 119 pounds of marijuana hidden in the bumpers.
The buyer, Jose Aguado Cervantes, didn't know about the hidden stash until he was stopped at the U.S.-Mexican border three months later. Cervantes, 67, spent three months in jail as a result.
Cervantes is seeking damages for the government's error, alleging negligence, false imprisonment and false arrest. While an appeals court in Pasadena said Monday that he cannot recover damages for false arrest and imprisonment, his negligence claim against the federal government "is an entirely different matter."
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the government's argument against Cervantes' negligence claim is "patently without merit" and "so off-the-mark as to be embarrassing."
"Cervantes remained similarly unaware of the contraband until its discovery by U.S. customs agents as he tried to cross the U.S. border on Oct. 22, 1999," the appeals court said. "Although Cervantes denied knowledge of the marijuana and informed agents that he had purchased the vehicle at a U.S. marshal's auction, he was arrested and incarcerated."
Government officials eventually dropped the charges, but not before Cervantes spent time in jail awaiting trial.
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I heard a similar story in the past of some dude finding a bunch of weed in the door panel of his car. Apparently he took in to be serviced because the window wouldn't roll up or down smoothly and when they took the panel off they found (i forget exact amt) a bunch of it .
Man I'm gonna have to start checking my used automobile purchases just in case there's a hidden stash so that I can...........um........turn it in to the authorities.
Last edited by DUKE on Wed Jun 04, 2003 1:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DUKE wrote:Man I'm gonna have to start checking my used automobile purchases just in case there's a hidden stash so that I can...........um........turn it in to the authorities.
ahem....you can turn that over to me, and I'll make sure the proper "authorities" get it!
Last edited by Dazedncnfz on Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
T.S. - "You don't have to love me, but you will [b]RESPECT[/b] me"
DUKE wrote:Man I'm gonna have to start checking my used automobile purchases just in case there's a hidden stash so that I can...........um........turn it in to the authorities.
ahem....you can turn that over to me, and I'll make sure the proper "authorities" get it!
lol! I'll match you.
Last edited by DUKE on Wed Jun 04, 2003 1:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Um, guys? While I agree that this is a bizarre story, it's probably best to tone it down a notch as far as this subject is concerned (or at least the pics), if only out of consideration for young 'uns like terp...
Arlo wrote:Um, guys? While I agree that this is a bizarre story, it's probably best to tone it down a notch as far as this subject is concerned (or at least the pics), if only out of consideration for young 'uns like terp...
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by Homeless » Tue Jun 03, 2003 12:08 pm 
