45 Pounds Stuffed In A Duffel

Last Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, from Newark Liberty International Airport discovered more than 45 pounds of cocaine in a duffel bag while conducting baggage inspections on a flight arriving from the Dominican Republic.

During a routine x-ray inspection of bags arriving from foreign, an anomaly was detected on a large red and blue duff bag. Further examination of the bag revealed 35 brick shaped objects wrapped in gray tape.

Upon probing and testing the contents of the brick it field tested positive to cocaine. The bag, which arrived from Santo Domingo, had no tags to identify passenger ownership. The seized drugs were valued at more than $2 million. (U.S. Customs Photos Below) 

“CBP is committed to interdicting narcotics at our ports of entry and identifying the complex methods perpetrators utilize to illegally import dangerous drugs into the U.S.,” said Robert E. Perez, director of Field Operations for CBP in New York.

CBP officers at Newark Liberty International Airport routinely screen and conduct inspections in the International baggage area in order detect and prevent smuggling attempts such as these. The duff bag and drugs were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

FMI: www.customs.gov