A Jamaican woman traveling through Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is charged after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said they found $90,000 worth cocaine in her suitcase.
Officers found nearly three pounds of cocaine in the bottom of a bag belonging to Trudian James, who had arrived at BWI at about 4:30 p.m. Monday, according to a statement from the federal agency. Officers noticed that the suitcase was unusually thick, and found the cocaine during an x-ray scan.
"Transnational criminal organizations employ many unique concealment methods to smuggle their deadly drugs into the United States, and Customs and Border Protection officers must remain vigilant to stop these attempts," said Dianna Bowman, the agency's area director for the port of Baltimore, said in a statement. "We're hopeful that this arrest sends a strong message that CBP officers in Baltimore remain committed to intercepting illicit narcotics before it can reach our communities."
Every day, border patrol officers seize more than 9,000 pounds of narcotics, the agency said.
James, 30, was turned over to the Maryland State Police for prosecution, the statement said. Online court records do not list an attorney for James, who faces five counts of drug-related charges.
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