TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An attorney for a Las Vegas man who had $32,000 seized says the Kansas Highway Patrol is getting away with “highway robbery” through its asset forfeiture program.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the money was taken from Salvador Franco in March when he pulled into a central Kansas rest stop. No charges have been filed, but court documents allege Franco’s money is tied to controlled substances.

Franco, however, says he intended to buy a truck in St. Louis, where he thought he could get a better deal than in Las Vegas.

In Kansas, law enforcement can seize a person’s property or money if it’s suspected of having a connection to criminal activity. And an individual doesn’t have to be charged or convicted of a crime.