A Guyanese man was arrested after US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered cocaine valued US$67,000 hidden in footwear, at the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York.
He was subsequently turned over to Homeland Security.
According to the CBP agency, the man arrived on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana via Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on February 9, 2017and wasabout to ‘walk’ past officers, but was stopped.
During the course of the inspection, CBP officers discovered four pairs of sneakers and two pairs of shoes in his luggage, which contained a white powder and which tested positive for cocaine.
“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, New York Field Operations Director.
The Guyanese man now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office in the US Eastern District Court of New York.
