A man was arrested Tuesday at Charlotte Douglas International Airport after US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers identified 23 pounds of cocaine stashed in a wheelchair.
According to CBP, Alexander A. Lopez-Morel, 22, a lawful permanent resident of the United States, arrived in Charlotte on a flight from the Dominican Republic and was met by CBP officers while using an electric wheelchair to conceal parcels of a white powdery substance.
CBP officers said they found the packages containing the substance that field-tested positive for cocaine within the seat cushions after further inspection.
“This seizure demonstrates the dynamic border environment in which CBP officers operate at CLT.” Barry Chastain, CBP Area Port Director Charlotte, said. “Our officers are determined to adapt and respond to these threats in an effort to stop narcotics reaching our communities.”
The street value of four packages containing over 23 pounds of cocaine found inside the wheelchair is guesstimated to be $378,000.
Lopez-Morel was apprehended by CBP officers, and the cocaine and wheelchair were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, Queen City’s Border Enforcement Security Team (BEST), and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for further investigation. Lopez-Morel was charged with felony cocaine trafficking.
