Authorities: Cocaine Found Stashed Inside Packages Of Frozen Meat At JFK
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A passenger tried to smuggle nearly eight pounds of cocaine off a flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport by hiding it inside packages of frozen meat, authorities said Monday.
Yudishtir Maharaj was arrested back on March 20 after he arrived at JFK on a flight from Port of Spain, Trinidad, authorities said.
During the course of an inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, authorities said they found three large packages of frozen meat inside Maharaj's luggage.
Upon further inspection, authorities said a white powder started coming out of the packages of the meat, which then tested positive for cocaine. In all, about 7.35 pounds of cocaine was seized, authorities said.
"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, director of Field Operations New York.
Maharaj was arrested on federal narcotics smuggling charges and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations, authorities said.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
