Boston - On Feb. 5, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Logan International Airport seized 560 grams (1.1 pound) of cocaine ingested by a 22-year-old woman and citizen of the United States as she was returning on Jet Blue Flight 896 from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Due to inconsistencies and suspicious behavior, passenger Luisa Yimarli Gil of Roxbury, Mass. was selected for a secondary inspection by CBP officers. During questioning, Gil admitted to ingesting 50 pellets of an unknown substance. Gil was then taken to a local hospital facility where 50 pellets totaling 560 grams (1.1 pound) were recovered and tested positive for cocaine.
"Even though CBP's primary mission is preventing terrorists and weapons of terror from entering the United States, occasionally, officers do come across incidents such as this and have a corresponding responsibility to enforce other laws including the interdiction of narcotics," said Director of Field Operations Kevin Weeks. "The discovery of this contraband was due to the alertness and vigilance of the CBP officers during the inspection process, and prevents a drug from reaching our streets."
Agents working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), work closely with CBP officers to help ensure an added measure of safety for the traveling public. These efforts are vigorously supported by our state and local law enforcement partners, including Massachusetts State Police.
"This arrest and the resulting seizure reflect the serious commitment and training among these agents and officers to detect and arrest those who try to smuggle contraband into our country," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston. "This team remains committed to identifying and arresting those who attempt to violate our laws and pollute our communities with illegal drugs."
The cocaine was seized and Gil was turned over to Massachusetts Police for prosecution.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.