MOSCOW, September 22 (RIA Novosti) - Two Australian teenagers out to catch fish to feed their cat hauled in a bag stuffed with around $87,000, the Northern Star newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The teenagers were fishing in their favorite creek near the village of Nimbin in New South Wales in early September when they discovered a black plastic bag with bundles of money inside. The boys took the money home, and counted out 100,000 Australian dollars in 20 and 50 denominations.
Thinking the money may be linked to crime, the boys handed it over to authorities. Police have begun a probe into the origin of the cash, and have launched a search for the owners. So far, police have only had illegitimate claims for the cash.
"We just don't want any trouble. We were sweet before the money and we'll be sweet after it," one of the teenagers was quoted by the Northern Star as saying.
Police have said if no one claims the cash, it will be returned to the teenagers.
Authorities still have no leads as to where the cash came from. The region around Nimbin, with a population of around 350 people, has seen recent flooding, and the cash could have floated downstream from one of several larger villages.