A Guatemalan woman has been charged with felony drug possession after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered nearly two pounds of heroin in a courier shipment at Washington Dulles International Airport. The arrest occurred on Sunday.
Maria Jose Recinos Rodriguez, 31, was taken into custody by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police officers. She faces charges of felony narcotics possession with intent to distribute.
Recinos Rodriguez arrived from Guatemala City, Guatemala, and was identified as a food courier for a routine secondary examination. It is known that transnational criminal organizations sometimes use courier shipments to smuggle drugs.
During the examination, CBP officers found three packages and four smaller sleeves hidden inside three bags of coffee containing a white substance. Testing confirmed it was heroin hydrochloride.
The total weight of the heroin was 798 grams or one pound and 12 ounces, with an estimated street value of $55,000. CBP officers handed over Recinos Rodriguez and the confiscated heroin to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police officers.
Criminal charges are allegations until proven in court. "Drug trafficking organizations attempt all manner of concealment to smuggle their dangerous drugs unto the United States," said Marc E. Calixte, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., adding that CBP continues efforts with law enforcement partners to protect communities from heroin.
Last year, CBP seized an average of 2,339 pounds of dangerous drugs daily at various entry points across the nation. More details on enforcement stats are available on CBP's website.
CBP's mission at Ports of Entry involves screening international travelers and cargo for illicit narcotics among other prohibited items to safeguard public safety and economic vitality.
For more updates from CBP’s Baltimore Field Office follow @DFOBaltimore on Twitter and @cbpfieldops on Instagram.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's frontline law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to protecting national security while facilitating lawful travel and trade.
