The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A man was reportedly caught at an airport with more than one dozen bricks of cocaine hidden in his wheelchair.
34-year-old Gabriel Ruiz lives in Union City, New Jersey.
On June 21, Ruiz landed at the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after he left Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The man was using a “Jazzy 614” model electric wheelchair during his travels.
When Ruiz was in the Baltimore airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers x-rayed the man’s wheelchair. They believed they spotted items that did not seem to belong in the seat area. They also reported that something in the backrest cushion caught their attention.
The wheelchair was dismantled and inspected, and the police reported that they located 13 bricks of what they believed were narcotics stuffed and concealed in the seat.
When they tested the contents of the packages, it was reported that the 13 individual bundles were cocaine and that they held a total value of at least $1,000,000. The weight of the alleged illegal substance was reported as 30 pounds.
Ruiz was taken into custody by officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA). He is facing charges of felony narcotics importation and possession of narcotics for the allegations.
It was reported that the State’s Attorney has chosen to prosecute Ruiz.
According to reports, the authorities stated that while it is not a common thing to happen, they have caught more than one person trying to use a wheelchair to conceal drugs in the past month. It was reported that the other suspects that were apprehended were also returning from the Dominican Republic. The police added that “Transnational criminal organizations work very hard to conceal their illicit drugs.”
If you or someone you love is suspected of a drug offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.