A woman has been accused of trying to smuggle 10 pounds of cocaine into the country by concealing them in containers of candy, customs officials in New York City said.
The Mexican national was allegedly caught with the drugs after she got off a flight from Mexico City at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday, according to customs and border control officials.
Agricultural specialists at the airport were putting the large tubs of candy through an x-ray machine when they noticed several rectangular objects inside.
Authorities say that when the containers were opened, they found eight large bricks of cocaine. If sold on the street, customs officials say the drugs could have fetched as much as $175,000.
“This latest seizure demonstrates the vigilance of our CBP officers, and their excellence in detecting those who would try to smuggle these illegal substances,” said Robert E. Perez, the director of the agency’s New York field office.
The woman was arrested and turned over to the NYPD. She’ll face state narcotics smuggling charges, officials say.
