PHOTO: Federal officers seized roughly 3 pounds of heroin that were stashed inside a passenger’s sneakers at JFK Airport. Photo Courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
By Michael V. Cusenza
Talk about expensive footwear.
An arriving passenger at John F. Kennedy International Airport last week was caught attempting to smuggle approximately 3 pounds of heroin into the city inside three pairs of sneakers, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
CBP officers last Wednesday stopped Perez Beltran, a U.S. citizen who arrived at JFK on a flight from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; it was unclear why Beltran was initially detained. During the course of the inspection, according to CBP, officers discovered a pair of sneakers in his luggage that appeared heavier than normal. CBP investigators examined the sneakers and found a tan, powdery substance that tested positive for heroin. Two additional pairs of drug-filled kicks were found in his bags. The total estimated street value of the heroin is $90,000.
“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 Perez, director, New York Field Operations.
CBP officers placed Beltran under arrest and turned him over to federal authorities. He now faces narcotics smuggling charges in U.S. Eastern District Court.
It seems that February was a busy month for Customs at JFK. A week prior to Beltran’s arrest, CBP officers nabbed a woman who had arrived at JFK from Jamaica with half a pound of cocaine concealed in her vagina.
michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
