Drugs dealers are getting more creative. Some bandits discovered a new way to smuggle drugs in U.S. airports, or it could be that the trend has been going on for quite some time now and it was only recently exposed aA total of $1 million worth of drugs at the JFK airport. The drugs were hidden under a crate of a Labrador retriever shipped from Puerto Rico on its way to New York.
The people carrying the dog and the crate were both arraigned for the incident. Both Samuel Seabrooks, 35, and Carlos Betancourt-Morales, 27, are facing charges of drug possession and conspiracy. Reports say that the two suspects met at IHOP Bronx last Friday night. After that, they traveled separately to JFK airport.
The two were reprimanded at the cargo building. Betancourt-Morales signed for a delivery receipt for the dog crate but the police stopped the person from leaving. The search conducted revealed 10 plastic packets containing 22 pounds of heroin. The recovered drugs could amount to $1 million.
"Statistics show that, unfortunately, heroin has made a comeback in New York City and its surrounding suburbs, with fatal overdoses outpacing homicides," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Animal rights activists deplore the idea of using innocent dogs as drug mules. In fact, American Humane Society calls for better animal control.
"This amount of heroin, when distributed at the street level, would jeopardize numerous lives and undoubtedly contribute to other crime," NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said in a statement.
There are no reports about the condition of the canine. Although it looks like the dog was not harmed during the process. The two might face a 20-year sentence according to reports.