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  4. Shell Game Proves to be No Match for Boston CBP

Shell Game Proves to be No Match for Boston CBP

Release Date
Tue, 11/08/2016

Officers Find Drugs Concealed in Wooden Turtle

BOSTON — On November 5, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at Boston Logan International Airport arrested a 55-year-old male United States Citizen attempting to smuggle nearly two and half pounds of marijuana into the U.S., concealed in the shell of a large wooden turtle.

CBP officers find marijuana concealed in the shell of a wooden turtle at Boston Logan International Airport.
CBP officers find marijuana
concealed in the shell of a
wooden turtle at Boston Logan
International Airport.

“The vigilance and experience of our CBP officers, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, have stopped another drug smuggler at our ports of

entry,” said Boston Director of Field Operations William Ferrara. “This uniquely concealed drug shipment reminds us of the ever-present threat of criminals attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into the U.S.”

The subject arrived from Montego Bay, Jamaica, and was referred for a secondary examination in the CBP inspection area.

Upon arrival in secondary, a physical and x-ray inspection of the subject’s checked luggage revealed anomalies within a large hand-carved wooden turtle.

During further examination, CBP officers discovered 2.49 pounds of a substance that tested positive for Marijuana concealed inside the turtle.

X-ray inspection of a wooden turtle revealed an anomolie inside.
X-ray image of a wooden turtle
inside a passengers luggage

The subject, narcotics, and personal belongings were turned over to the Massachusetts State Police for further investigation and prosecution. 

The charges and allegations contained in criminal complaints are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on vehicles, cargo and travelers, searching for narcotics, currency, weapons and other prohibited or illicit products.

For more on CBP’s border security mission at our nation’s ports of entry, please visit the CBP website.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021