May 27, 10

NEWS / CBP Seizes Cocaine Concealed as Baking Products at JFK Airport

Jamaica, N.Y. – Shawn Hudson, a United States citizen and a resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested for attempting to smuggle more than 17 pounds of cocaine through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

On May 14, Mr. Hudson arrived from Georgetown, Guyana on Delta Flight 384. He is employed as a tow-truck driver in New York. CBP officers selected Mr. Hudson for a baggage examination. He presented two bags for CBP inspection. CBP officers noticed five bags of “Champion” brand baking powder and three bags of “Champion” brand custard powder in Mr. Hudson’s luggage.

The bags seemed unusually heavy and emitted an abnormal odor. CBP officers tested the contents of the bags and identified the contents as cocaine, at which time CBP arrested Mr. Hudson. More than 17 pounds of cocaine, with a street value in excess of $500,000, was seized.

“This was an excellent seizure by CBP officers in the New York area,” said Robert E. Perez, director, Field Operations, New York Field Office. “Although this was a not a complex concealment, CBP officers remembered not to overlook the simple stuff.”

Mr. Hudson is awaiting federal prosecution. If sentenced, he will face significant time in prison. This case is being prosecuted by the office of Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/05262010_3.xml