Jamaican held with cocaine at US airport

Travellers from Jamaica entering the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina are seemingly being closely monitored following alarming numbers of Jamaicans being held for smuggling illicit drugs through the United States' eighth-busiest

airport.

THE STAR understands that a smuggling case unfolded over the weekend, and it may be a sign of a bigger problem for

officials.

According to www.wsoctv.com, on Saturday, customs enforcement stopped Winston Sherif Richards, who had flown directly from Jamaica.

Investigators said he brought a kilo of cocaine in his carry-on backpack.

In September, 16 persons were sentenced for smuggling cocaine from Jamaica to airports throughout North Carolina, including Charlotte-Douglas International Airport .

Investigators say some of the smugglers would ingest the cocaine or hide it in body cavities, bringing more than 11 kilos into North Carolina.