Dulles CBP Seizes Cocaine-Filled Bed Post Knobs

(Tuesday, October 11, 2011)

Sterling, VA ' They could have been part of a very expensive bed, but the cocaine-filled bed post knobs seized by Customs and Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport Thursday night will instead be destroyed.

The bed post knobs were in a group of goods carried by courier aboard a Taca Airlines flight that arrived at about 11 p.m. from El Salvador. CBP agriculture specialists passed the commercial goods through an x-ray during a secondary examination. That x-ray detected an anomaly inside the knobs.

Officers dug into the knobs and discovered a white, powdery substance that field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine. Total weight was 245 grams, or about 8.64 ounces; street value was estimated at approximately $17,000.

Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 245 grams of cocaine concealed inside two bed post knobs at Washington Dulles International Airport October 6. The bed post knobs were part a shipment of consumer goods that a courier brought to the United States from El Salvador. The courier was released. No charges have been filed.

"This seizure shows great cooperation between CBP officers and agriculture specialists. They each focus on different targets -- insect pests, and plant and animal diseases for agriculture specialists; violations of any one of 400 federal laws and regulations for officers -- but who each execute a very similar mission. That mission is to protect Americans against potentially harmful things," said Christopher Hess, CBP port director for the Port of Washington, D.C. "CBP employees remain steadfastly committed to keeping our nation and our citizens safe against bad people and bad things."

The knobs were allegedly destined for an address in New York.

CBP released the courier to return to El Salvador.

CBP routinely conducts random inspection operations on arriving and departing passengers searching for narcotics, currency, weapons and other prohibited or illicit products.

Steve Sapp, CBP Public Affairs, Phone: (215) 594-4117

CBP Headquarters, Office of Public Affairs, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Room 3.4A, Washington, DC 20229

Phone:(202) 344-1780 or, (800) 826-1471Fax:(202) 344-1393