Drug Tipster May Get Up to $250,000

A man who gave narcotics investigators the tip that led to the world’s biggest drug bust may receive up to a $250,000 reward from the nearly $12.3 million found along with 21.4 tons of cocaine in a Sylmar warehouse, federal officials said.

Under U.S. asset seizure laws, the Drug Enforcement Administration may offer rewards of up to 25% of the cash seized in drug raids, though the windfall cannot exceed $250,000, authorities said. In the Sept. 28 raid of the cocaine warehouse in Sylmar, authorities seized $12,287,237 in cash.

Federal agents have guarded the identity of the man who provided the tip that prompted the raid. The man was told not to discuss his part in the case or to even tell family members he was the tipster.

Whether he receives a reward and how much won’t be decided until federal authorities divvy up the warehouse cash among the several agencies that took part in the investigation, officials said.