Westport Police seized more than $100,000 and drugs from a vehicle early Saturday morning.
An officer said he observed a suspicious vehicle parked at Torno Hardware on Post Road East around 1:30 a.m., when the business was closed. He said there was one woman and two men inside of the vehicle at the time. Another person associated with the vehicle, later identified as 30-year-old Ninifa Ruiz, emerged from behind the building.
As the officer spoke with the occupants, he said he could smell a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the car. Officers said they found the female in the car to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana and she was given an infraction. Ruiz was later found to be in possession of ecstasy pills.
Officers said they then deployed a K9 who indicated on the suspect vehicle.
During a search of the car, police said they found $110,000 in cash inside of a backpack. None of the parties claimed the backpack or its content. Police said the people inside of the car also did not have an explanation for the amount of cash.
Officers took Ruiz into custody and officers seized the ecstasy pills and money.
Ruiz, of Everett, Massachusetts, is facing charges including sale of a hallucinogen and possession of a controlled substance/hallucinogen. She was released after posting $7,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in Norwalk on October 16.
