U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport this weekend detected a large amount of cocaine hidden inside a condiment container belonging to an arriving passenger.
Keiter Elian Rijo Morales, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, arrived Saturday on a flight from Santo Domingo. CBP officers inspected a large metal container labeled “Bella Tomato Paste.” CBP officers opened the container and discovered a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.
Morales was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.
The weight of cocaine seized was approximately 5 pounds, with an estimated street value of $160,000.
Photo Courtesy of CBP
