Routine Traffic Stop Reveals Illegal Fuel Bladder In Truck, Re-Encoded Gift Cards

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A routine traffic stop on Thursday afternoon yielded the arrests of two men accused of illegal possession of a fuel container and re-encoded gift cards with other people's information.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper stopped a Ford 150 along SW 23rd Street and 64th Avenue at around 6 p.m. because the tints on the windows of the truck were believed of an illegal tint.

The arresting officer says he noticed a fuel bladder containing approximately 90 gallons in the bed of the truck.

The arrest report says the officer could smell a very strong odor of fuel coming from inside the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle revealed a full 150-gallon tank of fuel and seven re-encoded gift cards with other people's information.

The driver was identified as Stalin Garcia-Ibanez, 41, and the passenger as Frank Ruben Hernandez, 33.

There was enough probable cause to believe both men were conspiring to commit fraud on multiple victims, police said.

Both men were transferred to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for processing.

Police said the vehicle was seized to be entered into evidence.

This was the latest arrest in a rash of recent incidents in South Florida.

On October 15th another man was stopped on the Turnpike with an illegal fuel bladder and a credit-card reader.

In the past month in Miami-Dade, 13 people have been arrested for possessing illegal gas tanks and identity theft.

Bond was set at $10,000 for Garcia-Ibanez and $12,500 for Hernandez.