Woman busted with 27 lbs. cocaine in wheelchair

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A woman in a wheelchair arriving to Kennedy Airport from St. Lucia on Sunday was discovered with 27 lbs. of cocaine that has a street value of nearly $500,000, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The illegal drug was hidden under the seat cushion of the motorized wheelchair.

Customs agents suspected something was wrong with the seat and with Yoncela Stanley, a U.S. citizen.

The back seat cushion was removed and felt unusually heavy and Stanley appeared nervous, according to a statement by CBP.

“This latest seizure demonstrates the vigilance of our CBP officers, and their excellence in detecting those who would try to smuggle these illegal substances,” said Leon Hayward, Acting Director, Field Operations New York.

Stanley faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.