Man charged with smuggling 148 cocaine pellets into US
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — US customs officials say agents caught a man flying from Jamaica to South Florida with 148 pellets of cocaine in his stomach.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that 41-year-old Errol Simpson made his first appearance Thursday in federal court on a drug smuggling charge. He faces up to 40 years in prison.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports are that Simpson flew from Montego Bay to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on September 15. Agents said he appeared nervous and gave inconsistent answers when questioned. X-rays at a local hospital revealed the pellets.
Officials say Simpson spent eight days in the hospital passing all the pellets, which weighed nearly 3 pounds. Investigators estimated the street value of the drugs to be about $38,000.
