Boston CBP agents arrest two men for cocaine smuggling attempt

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) agents arrested two Pennsylvania men last week at Boston’s Logan International Airport on cocaine smuggling allegations.

The two men, Erick Dominguez-Santos and Ezra Mendez, were arrested after officers discovered more than 13 combined pounds of cocaine in their baggage, which was turned over to the Massachusetts State Police.

The two men arrived on a flight from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and were both selected for secondary examinations. While inspecting their luggage, CBP officers noticed that their bags remained heavy, even when emptied of their contents, and that the bottom of the bags were unusually thick.

After a x-ray examination, CBP officers detected flat, rectangular objects in the bottoms of the bags. Officers then probed the objects and discovered a white, powdery substance that field-tested positive for properties of cocaine. Each brick weight approximately three kilograms, and the total haul carried an approximate street value of $400,000.

“Transnational criminal organizations employ many unique concealment methods to smuggle their deadly drugs into the United States, and Customs and Border Protection officers must remain vigilant to stop these attempts,” Helen Sterling, CBP assistant director at the Boston field office, said. “We’re hopeful that these arrests send a strong message that CBP officers in Boston remain committed to intercepting illicit narcotics before it can reach our communities.”