An airline employee based at Dulles International Airport in Virginia is accused of trying to smuggle loads of cash and drugs through customs. Officials say an investigation showed he was offered just a few hundred dollars to do it.
According to a complaint filed by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia, Jose Luis Castillo Rojas, a Peruvian citizen and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., flew from Peru through Panama City, Panama, to Dulles International on April 24.
He was selected for a secondary inspection at Customs and Border Protection. There, agents found several bricks of cocaine including one hidden inside a cake.
On top of the 2 kilograms of cocaine, they also found $54,900 in a “concealment cavity within the floor lining of the bag,” according to court documents.
Airport stories
Castillo Rojas told agents that he didn’t pack the bag and stated, “Wow, that’s not me! I was bringing it in for a lady waiting outside the airport in the car.”
He also admitted to agents that he had conducted a similar delivery in March of this year.
Investigators looked through his phone data after he gave them consent. They found a message discussing that he would get $200 for bringing the bag to the U.S.
He is being held without bond and is charged for importing a controlled substance.
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