A Yankee Stadium security guard claimed he was carrying a "cooked rabbit" in his luggage - but airport inspectors found three bricks of cocaine, officials said Monday.
Roger Levans of Queens got off a Delta Airlines flight from Georgetown, Guyana, on Dec. 29, and wrote on a Customs declaration that he was carrying food item, according to a criminal complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
"Levans was asked what kind of food items he was carrying, to which he responded 'cooked rabbit,'" Homeland Security special agent Noah Abbott said in the complaint.
What doesn't make sense in this (I know, I know... bringing drugs into the country is stupid too...
)..is that just writing on a customs form that you are carrying food items is a red flag to custom inspectors. It's almost an automatic search, and the customs person will ask what food items, and most of the time will check to make sure. Telling the inspector that it's meat, fruit or vegetables, is a guaranteed search, because fruit, vegetables and meat are not allowed under any circumstances.
Was he trying to get caught? Sure seems like it. All he had to do was say "meat" regardless of what kind, it's all banned.
And if he was...why? Was he somehow forced to bring the coke into the US?
Prohibited and Restricted Items
(12/17/2010)
Absinthe (Alcohol)
Alcoholic Beverages
Automobiles
Biologicals
Ceramic Tableware
Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property
Defense Articles or Items with Military or Proliferation Applications
Dog and Cat Fur
Drug Paraphernalia
Firearms
Fish and Wildlife
Food Products (Prepared)
Prior Notice for Food Importation
Fruits and Vegetables
Game and Hunting Trophies
Gold
Haitian Animal Hide Drums
Meats, Livestock and Poultry
Medication
Merchandise from Embargoed Countries
Pets
Plants and Seeds
Soil
Textiles and Clothing
Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles
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Meats, Livestock and Poultry
The regulations governing meat and meat products are stringent. You may not import fresh, dried or canned meats or meat products from most foreign countries into the United States. Also, you may not import food products that have been prepared with meat.
The regulations on importing meat and meat products change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different areas of the world. APHIS, which regulates meats and meat products as well as fruits and vegetables, invites you to contact them for more information on importing meats. A list of countries and/or regions with specific livestock or poultry diseases can be found at the Animal Disease Status page. ( Animal Disease Status )
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml#AlcoholicBeverages
