Man removed from McCarran plane Sunday checked $200,000 worth of heroin, cocaine
February 4, 2016 - 10:45 pm
A man was detained at McCarran International Airport after boarding a plane bound for Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday when $200,000 worth of heroin and cocaine were found in his checked bag, officials said Thursday.
Inside his black travel bag were 2,260 grams of heroin, which amounts to 4.98 pounds — “a pretty substantial amount of heroin” — and 1,020 gross grams of cocaine, which amounts to 2.24 pounds, said Sgt. Anthony Munoz of the Nevada Highway Patrol. Their estimated worth reflects the drugs’ current street value.
Patrol troopers, Metropolitan Police Department officers and Drug Enforcement Administration agents responded to the call together — with drug-sniffing dogs — as part of Southern Nevada’s intervention task force. They were called after Transportation Security Administration officials first found the man’s bag suspicious, though it’s unclear what prompted them to deem it so.
Munoz did not name the man, adding that officials were working to confirm his identity because he may have given a false name. Because of that, it was unclear whether he was a local or just passing through.
The man was arrested and charged with trafficking, Munoz said.
Though the plane was delayed briefly, it was cleared for takeoff once the man was removed and the task force searched the aircraft, airport spokeswoman Christine Crews said.
Contact Rachel Crosby at rcrosby@reviewjournal.com or at 702-387-5290. Find her on Twitter: @rachelacrosby.