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CBP officers selected Mr. Lopez for a baggage exam after he had arrived on a flight from Bogota, Colombia. Mr. Lopez presented one suitcase and a box of duty free liquor for inspection. After noticing that the liquid inside the four bottles of liquor appeared unusually thick, CBP officers opened the bottles and a glue-like smell permeated from inside. The liquid in the bottles field tested positive for heroin.

A total of three one-liter bottles of Irish Cream liqueur and another one-liter bottle of whiskey were seized. The heroin has a street value of over $1 million. Mr. Lopez was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey located in downtown Newark. He appeared this afternoon in front of U.S. Magistrate Madeline Cox Arleo.

Four liquor bottles containing unusual liquid heroin were seized in New Jersey.
   
CBP Director of Field Operations Susan Mitchell said, “Although Customs and Border Protection officers have seen liquid cocaine smuggled for years using this method of concealment; heroin is rarely smuggled in liquid form. This is truly an impressive seizure.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

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