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  4. CBP at JFK Seizes Cocaine in Footwear

CBP at JFK Seizes Cocaine in Footwear

Release Date
Mon, 02/13/2017

JAMAICA, N.Y. — An arriving passenger at John F. Kennedy International Airport tried to ‘walk’ past U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers, but was stopped in his tracks.

Pair of shoes that tested positive for cocaine
Pair of shoes in passenger's luggage that
tested positive for cocaine

On February 9, CBP officers stopped Mr. Amaziah Hohenkirk, a Guyanese citizen, who arrived on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana via Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  During the course of the inspection, CBP officers discovered four pairs of sneakers and two pairs of shoes in his luggage that contained a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.

Mr. Hohenkirk was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.  The total weight of cocaine seized was approximately 4 lbs. with a street value estimated to be $67,000.

“This latest seizure demonstrates the vigilance of our CBP officers, and their excellence in detecting those who would try to smuggle these illegal substances,” said Robert E. Perez, Director, Field Operations New York.

Mr. Hohenkirk now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.

All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. 

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021