Dominican National Emelinda Paulino De Rivas was on Thursday detained at the John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens USA, for attempting to smuggle 28 pounds of cocaine in a wheelchair.
According to reports, Federal agents sensed that something was off with the accused’s wheelchair when she arrived in New York City on Thursday from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
The odd sense as underscored by the agents involves the bizarre movement of the wheels. As such the chair was sent for an X-ray which revealed 28 packets of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$ 450,000 hidden in a bag.
Shortly after the discovery, the accused was taken into custody and later charged with several counts of federal narcotics smuggling and importing of a controlled substance.
The accused is also slated to be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York at a later date.
Meanwhile, Director of the US Customs and Border Protection Francis J. Russo outlined in a press release that the organization will remain steadfast in carrying out operations geared at hampering drug smuggling at various ports of entry.
“CBP stands steadfast and determined in working with our partners to identify the trans-national criminal networks responsible for importing these deadly drugs into our neighborhoods ” he outlined.
“CBP’s mission is to guard the borders and ports of entry 24/7, 365 days a year to prevent these dangerous drugs from potentially killing our family, friends, and neighbors” he added.
