Two men have appeared in court after police allegedly discovered $1.5 million in cash concealed inside a lounge located in the rear of a van in New South Wales.
NSW Highway Patrol officers stopped a Toyota Hi-Ace on the Hume Highway at Yass, in the state’s south, at about 8.35am on Tuesday as part of a routine alcohol and drug check.
The driver returned negative results in both a breath test and a roadside drug test.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located a lounge that had been separated into two sections.
Inside the furniture, police allegedly found a suitcase and two shopping bags containing large sums of cash, later estimated to total $1.5 million.
The cash, along with the van and several mobile phones, was seized for forensic examination.
The 24-year-old driver and his 37-year-old passenger were arrested and taken to Yass Police Station, where they were charged with recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime valued at $100,000 or more.
Both men were initially refused bail before appearing in Bail Division Court on Wednesday, where they were later granted conditional bail.
They are scheduled to reappear in Goulburn Local Court on January 21, 2026.
Images: NSW Police
