Customs and Border Patrol officers in New York seized a wheelchair stocked with cocaine at JFK International Airport on November 10, 2022. The smuggler was identified as Emelinda Paulinho De Rivas, a native of the Dominican Republic.
Customs Officers at JFK Airport Seize 28 POUNDS of COCAINE Hidden in the Wheels of a Wheelchair – Street Value of $450K
De Rivas arrived at JFK Airport in a wheelchair—possibly under the assumption of “Who would check someone in a wheelchair for drugs, right?” CBP officers pulled the woman aside for an interview when keen-eyed officers noticed that the wheels on the chair weren’t turning.
She was forwarded to the x-ray machine where a scan showed that something was fishy about all four wheels. When officers investigated, they found that the wheels were packed with cocaine. The coke came out to roughly 28 pounds with a street value of $450,000.
De Rivas was arrested for importation of a controlled substance and is in custody with Homeland Security Investigations. She is facing narcotics smuggling charges which will be handled by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
According to the CBP, the 28 pounds of cocaine “ translates to approximately 75,000 doses, a lethal dose of cocaine is roughly one to three grams.” Director Francis J. Russo of CBP New York Field Operations said of the bust:
“CBP stands steadfast and determined in working with our partners to identify the trans- national criminal networks responsible for importing these deadly drugs into our neighborhoods. CBP’s mission is to guard the borders and ports of entry 24/7, 365 days a year to prevent these dangerous drugs from potentially killing our family, friends, and neighbors.”
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