$1 MILLION FOUND IN ATTIC OF HOME AFTER AGENTS NAB 3 DRUG SUSPECTS

After a three-month investigation, federal agents have arrested three
suspected drug traffickers and found more than $1 million in cash in the
attic of a northwest Houston home.

John Hensley, head of the Houston division of the U.S. Customs Service,
said Thursday that federal cocaine possession and money-laundering charges
are pending against Virgilio Aguilar, 53, Fernando Delamora Rangel, 34, and
Roberto Castellano, 19.

Hensley said agents were watching a house on Sharpcrest in southwest
Houston on Wednesday when a 1991 Lincoln Continental pulled into the
garage. It came out 20 minutes later with its rear end sagging.

Agents began tailing the car, but the driver and a passenger saw them and
jumped out at an intersection near U.S. 59 and Beechnut, allowing the
still-moving car to careen across four lanes of traffic before it wrecked
in a church yard, Hensley said.

Officers from the Houston Financial Investigation Team -- a coalition of
Customs, IRS and local and state law enforcement agencies -- chased Rangel
and Castellano down residential streets and parking lots before taking them
into custody, said Customs spokeswoman Judy Turner.

Meanwhile, back at the abandoned Lincoln, an HPD dog sniffed out 253 pounds
of cocaine bricks hidden in the trunk, and officers found $10,000 in cash
in a compartment in the dashboard, Hensley said.

Hensley said agents also continued to watch the prime target of the
investigation -- Aguilar, a suspected drug trafficker -- at his home near
Texas 6 and Clay Road. When they saw him struggling with what seemed to be
an empty golf bag, agents stopped him.

Inside the bag, they found $150,000 in cash.

Hensley said Aguilar told the agents, "I'll save you the trouble of tearing
my house up. There's about $1 million in my attic."

In all, agents recovered $1.25 million and 262 pounds of cocaine, worth
more than $1 million, Hensley said.

The money was handwrapped and bundled with rubber bands and plastic wrap.
"The bills were mixed together, fives, twenties. It was obviously street
drug money," Hensley said.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)