26 pounds of cocaine seized at Atlanta airport

Federal customs agents said they have arrested a Guatemalan man on charges of attempting to smuggle 26-plus pounds of cocaine through the Atlanta airport.

The discovery came Friday during inspection of the passenger’s baggage, the U. S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release Tuesday.

Officers found packages of uncooked red beans in the baggage. When they sliced open a package, they discovered a white, powdery substance, which tested positive for cocaine.

The drug had a street value of more than $600,000, officials said.

“Our officers remain vigilant in disrupting criminal activity despite the creative concealment methods smugglers employ,” said Devin Chamberlain, acting Customs and Border Patrol Port Director for Atlanta.

The suspect, who was en route to New York, was turned over to Clayton County police for prosecution, Chamberlain said.

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