JAMAICA, New York (PIX11) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized $60,000 worth of fentanyl from a food courier arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, officials said.
Eulalio Gomez-Zuniga, a food courier and U.S. citizen, arrived at JFK airport from Mexico City, and had his belongings checked by Customs and Borders Protection agriculture specialists, officials said.
After X-raying his bags the specialists noted, “three cylindrical objects appearing to have anomalies in their center,” officials said. The three objects were determined to be candles.
After further inspection. CBP officers uncovered about 2.5 pounds of fentanyl stashed inside the candles — an estimated street value of $60,000, officials said.
Gomez-Zuniga was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was handed over to NYPD, officials said.
“Fentanyl poses a significant threat to our nation, as it is oftentimes added to other substances that can have deadly consequences,” Francis J. Russo, director of CBP’s New York Field Operations, said in a statement.
Russo said the seized fentanyl was 73% pure and could have caused “considerable overdoses” in the New York City area.
“As America’s unified border security agency, our employees are determined to protect the public from fentanyl entering our neighborhoods and destroying our communities,” Russo added.
