It seems likely that he was up to no good, but the civil forfeiture laws are nuts. Arrested on suspicion but no real proof of anything? The article is too vague. How was he stopped? Why? I believe as a parolee or ex con you are always subject to search without cause.
The law saw an easy way to make some profits.
I’m normally not on the side of former dealers, but this sounds really fishy.
He was probably just going to buy a Tesla to help reduce California’s carbon footprint.