GPS error leads to California man’s arrest at Canadian border with 400 pounds cannabis, $600K cash

A GPS error ended up being a very costly mistake for one Southern California man.

Canadian authorities say they recently stopped a 60-year-old Tustin man at the border near Niagara Falls.

He had apparently entered his GPS coordinates incorrectly and didn’t intend to end up in the line to cross the border into Ontario.

And that meant he didn’t have a passport – which meant he and his vehicle were subject to additional search.

The Canada Border Services Agency says their agents found nearly 400 pounds of cannabis and more than $600,000 cash stashed throughout the vehicle.

The contraband was hidden away in different spots, with the cannabis vacuum-packed and separated into multiple boxes. The cash was separated into bundles and stashed in a safe, a suitcase and a hard-shell case.

“This style of packaging is consistent with those commonly used by drug dealers or money launderers,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement.

The driver, identified as Andrew Lee Toppenberg, 60, of Tustin, Calif., was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distribution, importing cannabis, and possession of proceeds of property over $5,000 knowing that all or part of the proceeds was obtained by a crime in the United States.

Toppenberg was arrested on May 2 and appeared in court on May 5, where he was remanded and remains in custody.