She tried to smuggle 12 kilos of drugs in the wheels of her wheelchair
A woman has been arrested at New York's JFK Airport on suspicion of attempting to smuggle 28 pounds (12.7 kg) of cocaine inside the tires of her wheelchair.
According to authorities, federal agents noticed something wasn't quite normal when the wheels on Ms. Emmelinda de Rivas' wheelchair weren't turning.
The woman had arrived in New York City from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
After X-raying the four rubber wheels, a large stash of drugs was later found with an estimated value of $500,000 (£420,000).
The woman, de Rivas, was subsequently charged with multiple federal counts of drug trafficking after her arrest.
"The passenger's wheelchair stopped moving upon arrival at JFK," a US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said.
"CBP officers noticed that the wheels on the wheelchair were not turning, so they X-rayed the wheelchair and CBP found a white powder that proved to be cocaine after examining it," he added.
Ms. de Rivas now faces federal drug trafficking charges and will be prosecuted by the US Attorney's office in the US Eastern District Court in New York.
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