Woman Caught Smuggling $55,000 of Heroin in Coffee at Washington Dulles Airport
A woman thought coffee could hide her cargo—until CBP officers found nearly two pounds of heroin at Dulles. 🌐 #News #WashingtonDC #Travel #Crime
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A food courier traveling from Guatemala City to Washington, D.C., was arrested at Dulles International Airport on Sunday when authorities uncovered nearly two pounds of heroin concealed in her shipment. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers detected the drugs hidden in bags of coffee, exposing yet another creative method used by traffickers to smuggle narcotics into the U.S.
Maria Jose Recinos Rodriguez, 31, arrived Sunday morning from Guatemala, expecting to complete her journey unnoticed. However, CBP officers flagged her for a secondary inspection, a standard step when they suspect unusual activity. During this closer look, officers found that her food courier packages contained more than coffee beans.
Coffee Bags Mask Dangerous Cargo
Inside the shipment, CBP agents discovered three packages and four small sleeves filled with a white substance. The officers used a handheld elemental isotope analysis tool, which confirmed the substance as heroin hydrochloride.
The heroin, weighing 798 grams—roughly one pound, 12 ounces—has an estimated street value of $55,000. The coffee bags, meant to mask the contents, turned out to be a clever yet ineffective smuggling strategy.
CBP’s Efforts to Disrupt Drug Trafficking
Marc E. Calixte, Area Port Director for CBP in Washington, D.C., highlighted the determination of CBP officers in uncovering hidden contraband.
“Drug trafficking organizations attempt all manner of concealment to smuggle their dangerous drugs unto the United States, including concealing it inside a seemingly innocuous courier shipment of food, but Customs and Border Protection officers prove time and again their proficiency in exposing those concealment methods,” Calixte said.
He emphasized CBP’s commitment to working with law enforcement partners to hold traffickers accountable and protect communities from heroin’s devastating impact.
Handed Over to Local Authorities
Following her arrest, Recinos Rodriguez and the seized heroin were transferred to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Drug traffickers continue to devise sophisticated ways to move illegal substances, but CBP remains a critical frontline defense. Officers are trained to spot the smallest inconsistencies, ensuring attempts like this don’t succeed.
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