Drug Smuggler Arrested at New York's JFK Airport!

Cocaine smuggling has been going on for decades. In the 1970's the Medellin cartel alone was generating tens of millions of dollars in profit each day by smuggling drugs into the United States. Criminals will go to great lengths, risking their freedom, to smuggle drugs into the country.

Here's a scenario that could be a scene in a movie but this actually happened. This month! A handicapped air traveler from the Dominican Republic arrives at New York's JFK International Airport. As this individual made her way through the terminal, Customs and Border Patrol officers noticed something odd. Their curiosity led to the discovery of $450,000 worth of cocaine.

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On November 10th, according to the United States Customs and Border Protection, Ms. Emelinda Paulino De Rivas was traveling in a wheelchair when CBP officers noticed that the wheels on the wheelchair were not turning, so they interviewed her. Flat tire? Frozen brakes? What's going on?

CBP officers decided to x-rayed the wheelchair and noticed something odd in in all four wheels. CBP officers probed the four wheels revealing a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Ms. De Rivas was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges. This suspect will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.

How much was packed into that wheelchair? Approximately 28 lbs. of cocaine or 75,000 doses with an estimated street value of $450,000.

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Source: Drug Smuggler Arrested at JFK Airport! They Hid the Cocaine Where?