Airline workers among 18 people charged with drug trafficking at JFK
NEW YORK (CNN) — Eighteen people, including 10 airline workers at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, appeared in federal court Tuesday on international drug smuggling and distribution charges.
The drugs were hidden in luggage on international commercial flights from the Dominican Republic to JFK, the complaint alleges.
Once the luggage arrived, it was relocated to a “safe” area, hidden from law enforcement, it says.
While the diversion was taking place, the defendants used lookouts to watch for law officers.
The leader of the defendants was Henry Polanco, who dealt with the drug suppliers in the Dominican Republic, according to the complaint.
He used employees from Delta, American Airlines and food-services company Aramark to help smuggle the drugs into the United States, the complaint says.
The defendants were arrested earlier Tuesday and gave no comment as they were escorted into a U.S. Marshals Service bus.
The case “illustrates how conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the U.S. among airport employees compromised our border security,” said Mark Lorenti, a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a statement. Video Watch Lorenti talk about the case »
The charges are a result of a two-year investigation, during which federal agents found 46 kilograms (101 pounds) of cocaine, 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of heroin and 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of MDMA (ecstasy), according to a Justice Department news release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said the street value of the drugs is $875,000 for the cocaine, $1.1 million for the heroin and $75,000 for the ecstasy.
Delta Air Lines spokeswoman Chris Kelly said the carrier was aware of the investigation and cooperated with authorities.
“The seven Delta employees who are charged are being suspended without pay,” she said.
Former England cricketer Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years for smuggling cocaine into Britain. His co-accused, ex-basketball player Read more
