Drug smugglers are gonna smuggle. That’s why the TSA, border patrol, etc. have all sorts of ways to find drugs:
- Detection Canines – Dogs that are trained to detect the odors of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, among others (TSA dogs who retire can sometimes be given some AWESOME sendoffs, like this one. That #goodboy looks SO happy and excited!).
- Scanners – TSA’s scanners have come a long way and are easily able to see what’s in passengers’ carry on bags, as well as those that go into the belly of the plane. Body scanners also get a good look at what may be on a passenger’s person (BTW, this is what body scanner images look like to TSA agents nowadays).
People trying to smuggle drugs still think they can get one over on the officers. So they try to hide stuff in what they think are unusual places…in their shoes or underwear, in children’s dolls, in coconuts, pineapples or candy bars, in secret compartments of their cars (if they’re driving), etc… So many different places that it’s been covered by Business Insider, The BBC, etc.
Here’s a new one, though. And I thought he would even win points for creativity.
Alexander A. Lopez-Morel, age 22, was arrested last week. When he (a lawful U.S. permanent resident) arrived at Charlotte Douglas International Airport from the Dominican Republic, U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers discovered that his electric wheelchair was being used to conceal packages of a white powdery substance.
After he underwent further inspection by officers involving a closer examination of the motorized chair, CBP officers found the packages within the seat cushions containing the substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.
A total of four packages containing over 23 pounds of cocaine discovered inside the wheelchair have an estimated street value of $378,000.00
. @CBP Officers @CLTairport intercepted a traveler rolling through #CBP inspection in wheelchair loaded with Cocaine from Dominican Republic. More at https://t.co/y4YCjCUkou pic.twitter.com/rx4ywLdiAx
— CBP Southeast (@CBPSoutheast) June 3, 2022
CBP officers placed Mr. Lopez-Morel under arrest and the cocaine and wheelchair were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents.
I originally thought this was a very clever way to try to smuggle (even though chances were excellent he’d get caught). But as it turns out, a woman with nearly $500,000 worth of cocaine tried to do THE SAME THING in 2017…didn’t work then, either.
This smuggler rolled in with nearly $500,000 worth of cocaine except @CustomsBorder was the road blockhttps://t.co/pjXfJIRteK pic.twitter.com/yIDgmLrdf6
— CBP New York City (@CBPNewYorkCity) June 13, 2017
Crime doesn’t pay, y’all!
Feature Photo: CBP
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