Cocaine in duct tape diapers, cocaine in Toblerone, heroin in hair products—there is a seemingly infinite number of ways to get busted trying to bring narcotics through NYC airports. The latest Customs bust came from a bottle of "mamajuana" that a passenger arriving at JFK airport allegedly tried to bring in from the Dominican Republic on January 6th.
Customs officials say mamajuana "is a drink from the Dominican Republic that is concocted by allowing rum, red wine, and honey to soak in a bottle with tree bark and herbs. The taste is similar to port wine and the color is a deep red." In a press release announcing last week's bust, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol communications department writes that the accused "was planning to enjoy a very interesting cocktail" but Customs officials "shut down her speakeasy before it ever opened." Bake 'em away, toys; that Communications degree is worth its weight in gold.
Customs officials say they became suspicious when they discovered the "unusually heavy" bottle of mamajuana in one Rosa Almonte De Ortega's suitcase after she presented it for inspection. CBP officers opened the bottle, finding 32 pellets inside. Each one tested positive for heroin, and Ortega was arrested on narcotics smuggling charges. The entire bottle's worth has an estimated street value of $27,000.
