Customs agents seized 18 pounds of what they call “liquid cocaine” at John F. Kennedy International Airport last month, federal officials say.
Agents sifting through a bag belonging to a man who had just landed in the United States from Guyana on Nov. 17 found four large rum bottles that appeared to have thicker than usual contents.
The officers took the man and his luggage to a search room where they opened the bottles. All four had unusual chemical odors and later tested positive for cocaine, authorities say.
The passenger, Wilton Sinclair, was then arrested on narcotics smuggling charges. It’s not clear if he has an attorney.
The customs office said the liquefied cocaine could have been sold for about $310,000.
