More than seven pounds of cocaine were allegedly discovered inside a man from Trinidad’s luggage at JFK International Airport, federal officials said this week. Photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal officers busted a man from Trinidad who was allegedly carrying more than seven pounds of cocaine in frozen goat meat tucked into his luggage while traveling from Port of Spain to JFK International Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Monday.
Yudishtir Maharaj was arrested March 20 and is being held on drug-smuggling charges after authorities said they allegedly found a white powder that tested positive for cocaine in three large packages of frozen goat meat in his luggage.
Maharaj, a Trinidadian national, was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. The total weight of the cocaine seized was 7.35 pounds, federal officials 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 U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Director Robert E. Perez said.
Facing federal narcotics smuggling charges, Maharaj will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.
