Passenger at JFK found with $175K of cocaine hidden in candy: CBP

A Mexican citizen is facing drug smuggling charges after being caught with more than just a sweet tooth while at a New York City airport.

On April 18, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at JFK International Airport were performing an x-ray examination on luggage belonging to Petra Medarda, who had just arrived on a flight from Mexico City.

According to authorities, the CBP specialists noticed an anomaly on the X-ray of rectangular shaped objects and found a package hidden within containers of candy.

CBP officers then escorted Medarda to a private search room where they investigated the concealed package and found a white powder, which tested positive for cocaine, officials said.

Upon further investigation, CBP found a total of eight bricks of cocaine that weighed about 10 pounds and had an estimated street value of $175,000.

Medarda was placed under arrest and turned over to the NYPD, according to CBP. She now faces state narcotic smuggling charges.