New York

Man Carrying Cocaine Pretends to Be Delta Pilot at JFK Airport: Authorities

An alleged drug smuggler was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport last week while pretending to be a pilot for Delta Airlines, authorities said.

The man, identified as Mario Hudson, was arriving from Kingston, Jamaica, and dressed in a pilot uniform when he told border officers at JFK that he was a “dead-heading crewmember,” according to authorities.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers became suspicious when Hudson allegedly showed them two fake Delta Airlines ID badges and passed a piece of luggage through security that had unusually thick and heavy sides, authorities said.

Top Tri-State News Photos

Hudson was taken to a private search room, where a white substance that later tested positive for cocaine was found hidden in his baggage, according to authorities, who said the 5 pounds of cocaine discovered have a street value of $85,000.

Hudson faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.

A man returning to New York from the Dominican Republic was arrested after customs authorities found about 10 pounds of cocaine in his pants, officials say.
Contact Us