Oct 17, 2007 6:12 am US/Eastern
10 JFK Airport Workers Charged In Major Drug Ring
More Than 70 Kilos Of Narcotics Smuggled Inside NYC-Bound Luggage
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Federal agents arrested 18 people in connection to a drug ring out of JFK Airport.
CBS
A drug ring comprised of airport and airline workers who were smuggling large quantities of narcotics into passengers' luggage bound for John F. Kennedy Airport in New York has been broken up by federal authorities, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Federal agents seized more than 46 kilograms of cocaine, 25 kilograms of heroin, and three kilograms of ecstasy in the bust, and arrested seven Delta Airlines employees, one American Airlines employee, two airport workers, and eight others in connection to the ring.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, who conducted the operation, say the ring was led by Henry Polanco, who operated from the Washington Heights section of Manhattan and dealt with drug suppliers in the Dominican Republic and distributors in New York City.
To smuggle the drugs into the U.S., Dominican airport workers concealed the drugs inside luggage on flights destined to JFK, prosecutors say. When the luggage arrived there, it would be diverted to a "safe" area by two corrupt Delta baggage handlers before undergoing inspection by law enforcement.
Delta issued a statement to CBS 2 about the arrests, saying: "We have been working in cooperation with authorities for several months to assist in their operations."
Airline passengers were shocked by the arrests, and couldn't believe that drugs could be smuggled in their very own suitcases.
"If they do that, I think it's unbelievable. They should be punished severely," one New Yorker said.
Ten of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to import a controlled substance, and if convicted each faces life behind bars and a $4 million fine.
The eight others are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and if convicted each faces 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The 18 defendants were scheduled to appear in a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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