Two men were arrested by Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies Friday morning and were charged with money laundering.

Joel Reyes, 28, and Santos Samora Salozar, 32, are both from Mexico and are in the United States illegally.

The two were pulled over after failing to use a turn signal, after deputies were tipped off that Reyes and Salozar were traveling westbound on Interstate 20 by a criminal interdiction officer from Sulphur. The Sulphur officer had previously arrested Salozar on similar charges and seized $157,000.

After being pulled over, the deputy, with permission from Reyes and Salozar, searched the vehicle and found a secret compartment in the wheel well containing cash.

Reyes and Salozar were transported to Ouachita Correctional Center and the car was searched further, when deputies found four bundles of cash wrapped in plastic in the secret compartment. Deputies also found another compartment on the other side of the car, but it was empty.

Both suspects denied knowing about the money. They were both charged with money laundering and are being held at OCC on $100,000 bonds.