Customs agents at Newark Liberty International Airport found pellets of cocaine hidden inside the batch of baked goods as a man passed through security on June 5.
Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Wicker gift baskets of oval-shaped cookies set off alarms for customs agents at Newark Airport, authorities said Thursday.
Customs agents at Newark Liberty International Airport found pellets of cocaine hidden inside the batch of baked goods as a man passed through security on June 5.
Mauricio Isidro Rivera Hernandez of Guatemala was stopped by officials after they opted to examine his three bags.
Once agents dug into the cookies, they found 118 pellets with a white substance that tested positive for cocaine.
In total, Hernandez was found to be carrying a little more than 3 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $52,000.
Hernandez and the drugs were turned over to the Port Authority Police Department and faces prosecution by the New Jersey State District Attorney’s Office for narcotics smuggling.
On Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection also reported finding almost 5 pounds of cocaine at John F. Kennedy International Airport hidden inside the handles of a suitcase belonging to American citizen traveling from Guyana.
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