Crime & Safety
Customs: Man Tried to Smuggle $70K Worth of Heroin in Underwear
Trinidad man is arrested at JFK Airport earlier this month after being caught with nearly two pounds of heroin in his underwear.
A Trinidad man arriving on an international flight into John F. Kennedy Airport earlier this month "exhibited numerous signs of nervousness" as Customs and Border Protection officers examined his suitcase.
Why was he so nervous?
Well, officials say Bernard Charles had nearly two pounds of heroin inside his underwear.
Find out what's happening in Merrickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Charles originally attracted suspicion by "walking awkwardly" as he stepped off a Caribbean Airlines flight from Trinidad on April 1, the New York Daily News reported.
After Charles was escorted to a private search room, officers discovered two clear packages containing a brown paste-like substance in his groin area, authorities said.
Find out what's happening in Merrickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A total of 1.79 pounds of heroin, with an approximate street value of more than $70,000, was seized, officials said.
Charles was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. He faces up to 10 years in prison on federal narcotics smuggling charges.
“This seizure is just another example of our CBP officers being ever vigilant in protecting the United States from the distribution of these illicit drugs,” said Robert E. Perez, the director of CBP’s New York field operations, in a statement.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
