Authorities in Italy found nearly 30 pounds of cocaine inside a motorized wheelchair at Milan airport after a police dog sniffed it out.
According to the Italian Financial Police, the drugs were found inside the upholstery of a motorized wheelchair at Malpensa airport on Friday, according to the Associated Press.
Un’unità cinofila della #GDF di #Varese individua un passeggero, che fingendosi disabile sulla sedia a rotelle, trasportava 13 Kg di cocaina.#NoiconVoi pic.twitter.com/EBGrHuJtXu
— Guardia di Finanza (@GDF) September 2, 2022
In a press release, police said the drug-sniffing dog checks arriving luggage and passengers from the Dominican Republic since that route had previously been used by drug couriers, the AP reported.
Authorities said the specialized canine led them to a passenger, who was in a motorized wheelchair.
Police said at first, they searched the Spaniard's luggage, which didn't yield anything. But when they slashed the upholstery of the wheelchair, they found the cocaine, according to the AP.
When the drugs were discovered, the man in the wheelchair stood up, walked around with no assistance, and was arrested, the AP reported.