to make the wash

[Garin]

Hello, everyone!
In Chicago PD, Voight talks to Chapman, the assistant state attorney. Voight wants to arrest a guy who is buying drugs from a cartel and distributing them, however, he does not have any hard evidence. Voight only knows about the guy's house where he keeps his money from the drug trade.
Voight: I have his money house.
Chapman: I can't make the wash with that house.
My feeling is that the pure existence of the house full of money is not enought for her to issue the warrant. But why "make the wash", where does it come from?

 

[dojibear]

I've never heard "make the wash" used like this before. From context, it is slang meaning "obtain a warrant".
It might be standard police slang, or it might be slang in this one (fictional) police station.

My feeling is that the pure existence of the house full of money

Correction: this "existence" is not a fact. It is what Voight believes. If Voigt could prove that the money was there, a warrant could be issued.

 

[Garin]

Correction: this "existence" is not a fact. It is what Voight believes. If Voigt could prove that the money was there, a warrant could be issued.

In fact it is, their "C.I." confirmed that the basement of the house is full of cash, they even have it on video but - as one of the cops says: "It is not illegal to keep cash."

 

[Hans in Texas]

“That won’t wash” is a standard phrase meaning that is insufficient or inadequate. I have not heard “make the wash” before.