2 Would-Be Smugglers Found With Cocaine Taped Under Their Pants On Same Flight At JFK, Authorities Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's not exactly what you'd call a fashion trend, but it does seem to be more common these days.
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two travelers on the same flight who they say were trying to smuggle cocaine under their pants.
Ariel Garcia and Elvin Montilla-Sosa both were on board a flight from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on April 19 and were searched after they landed.
"These two passengers were not traveling together but they both arrived on the same flight," said Anthony Bucci of Customs and Border Protection.
They were both patted down.
"They felt something underneath their clothing, and lo and behold, they discovered these packages that were taped to their bodies underneath their clothing," Bucci said.
Authorities say they found 11 pounds of cocaine taped to Garcia's legs - worth $180,000 - and 12 pounds of cocaine taped to the legs of Montilla-Sosa, worth $200,000.
"This latest seizure demonstrates our CBP officers being ever vigilant in protecting the United States from the distribution of these illicit drugs," said Leon Hayward, Acting Director of CBP's New York Field Operations.
Both face federal narcotics smuggling charges.
It's just the most recent in a series of similar arrests. Back in March, authorities nabbed a man with 10 pounds of cocaine allegedly taped to his legs. A week later, they arrested another person who allegedly tried the same thing.