MANDEVILLE – Two Florida residents with 15 fraudulent gift cards and credit cards in their car were arrested after a traffic stop in St. Tammany Parish.

Officers found the stack of cards hidden below the passenger’s seat of a car driven by 37-year-old Yanet De La Caridad Sarduy Pernia after a February 26 traffic stop for improper lane use along I-12.

Sarduy Pernia and her passenger, 52-year-old Alexis Guillermo La O Roman, have both been arrested and charged with 15 counts each of monetary instrument abuse, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators were able to determine that the fraudulent cards had been recoded illegally using credit card information obtained through illegal skimming devices.

The duo was stopped before they could go on a spending spree with the stolen credit card information, according to the STPSO.

“It is a great asset to have deputies that are skilled to look beyond a minor traffic violation and recognize suspicious travels, devious indicators and activity. The seizure of these 15 illegal cards saved many people from experiencing the unpleasant task of reporting fraud on their bank cards,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “In many cases the potential victims are not even aware their bank card numbers were compromised, and thanks to proactive efforts of this deputy, they won’t be victims.”