Customs agents at Newark Liberty International Airport say they found 10 pounds of cocaine hidden in old movie reel-style film canisters when a passenger arriving from Bogota, Colombia, arrived at the airport last month.
The man, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on narcotics smuggling charges after authorities made the discovery on May 26, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said.
Customs agents were going through the man's baggage when they noticed the 36 large film canisters and opened them up. They broke apart the film to find three dozen black discs, which had white powder inside that tested positive for cocaine. The estimated worth of the seizure was $177,000.
Three days later, customs agents at the airport made another cocaine bust, recovering 5 pounds of the stimulant stashed in wooden coasters, a picture frame, glass bottle and jars from a man's luggage.
