An arriving passenger at John F. Kennedy International Airport was caught with cocaine inside four pairs of sneakers in his luggage.
On Thursday, February 9, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials stopped Amaziah Hohenkirk, from Guyana, who was arriving on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana through Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
During a routine inspection, officers found the four pairs of sneakers, along with two pairs of shoes, in his luggage. They contained a white powder that later tested positive for cocaine.
Hohenkirk was arrested for importing a controlled substance and was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security.
The cocaine he carried in his luggage totaled 4 pounds and was valued at approximately $67,000.
He now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District.
“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, director of field operations.
