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A man rolled into a North Carolina airport with more than just his electric wheelchair.
Alexander Lopez-Morel, 22, was allegedly concealing 23 pounds of cocaine inside the wheelchair upon his arrival at Charlotte Douglas International Airport from the Dominican Republic on Thursday, according to US Customs and Border Patrol.
The substance, which was found stuffed in the wheelchair’s cushions, tested positive for cocaine in a field test.
A total of four packages containing the cocaine were recovered. The drugs have an estimated street value of $378.000.00, CBP said.
Lopez-Morel was arrested and was charged with felony cocaine trafficking.
The wheelchair was handed over for investigation to Homeland Security Investigations special agents, Queen City’s Border Enforcement Security Team, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the agency said.
“This seizure demonstrates the dynamic border environment in which CBP officers operate at CLT.” Barry Chastain, CBP Area Port Director Charlotte, said in a statement. “Our officers are determined to adapt and respond to these threats in an effort to stop narcotics from reaching our communities.”
