KENNEDY AIRPORT — U.S. Customs agents allege an airline passenger arriving from Ecuador Friday had a sweet spot for drugs in his luggage.
Edny Barco, a U.S. citizen, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport after a random baggage search uncovered 11 pounds of heroin concealed in packages of Cocoselle brand chocolate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
The 22−year−old traveler had roughly $400,000 worth of drugs concealed and the contraband was turned over to the federal government, according to U.S, Customs agents.
“Our highly skilled CBP officers are committed to interdicting the smuggling attempts of narcotics at our ports of entry and are extremely adept at identifying these types of deep concealment methods,” Robert E. Perez, director of field operations for Customs in New York, said in a statement.
Barco was charged by the federal government with attempted smuggling of a controlled substance and faces 10 years in prison if convicted, a spokesman for the CBP said.
