That's Not Frosted Flakes: Feds Seize $2.8M Worth of Cocaine-coated Cereal

 ”TNL” for Borderland Beat

Federal agents intercepted a shipment of $2.82 million worth of cocaine-coated corn flakes headed across the waters, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced in a news release. On Feb. 13, CBP officers in Cincinnati intercepted the smuggled drugs in a shipment of cereal coming from South America.

The shipment contained about 44 pounds of cocaine-coated corn flakes, which could have a street value of up to $2,822,400. CBP Narcotic Detector Dog “Bico” was working incoming freight from Peru when he alerted to a large shipment of cereal headed to a private home in Hong Kong.

When officers opened the box to take a closer look, they saw the cereal contained white powder, and the flakes were coated with a grayish substance. Officers tested the flakes and powder and found they contained cocaine. Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie emphasized that smugglers will hide narcotics in anything imaginable.

“The men and women at the Port of Cincinnati are committed to stopping the flow of dangerous drugs, and they continue to use their training, intuition, and strategic skills to prevent these kinds of illegitimate shipments from reaching the public,” Gillespie said.

Cocaine abuse can lead to many adverse health consequences including cardiac arrhythmias, heart conditions, cardiac arrest, convulsions, stroke, and death.

According to CBP statistics released last month, on a typical day in fiscal year 2020, agents seized 3,677 pounds of drugs at ports of entry across the nation. The agency employed 63,685 people last year, including nearly 1,500 canine teams.

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Source: WJHG; NYDailyNews; CBP