Courts and Law

Brooklyn man busted with over 18 kilos of cocaine in shrimp smuggle

January 23, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor
Zacharie Scott was arrested on Friday for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country inside frozen shrimp packages that were inside his luggage. Scott returns to court on Tuesday for a bail hearing after being arraigned at the Eastern District of New York Courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday.Photo courtesy of EDNY
Zacharie Scott was arrested on Friday for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country inside frozen shrimp packages that were inside his luggage. Scott returns to court on Tuesday for a bail hearing after being arraigned at the Eastern District of New York Courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of EDNY
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A Brooklyn resident who was returning home from Guyana, Zacharie Scott, was arrested on Friday at John F. Kennedy International Airport for allegedly smuggling approximately 18.45 kilograms of cocaine hidden in packages of frozen shrimp. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, led the arrest following a routine screening process by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

According to the complaint, Scott, upon arriving from Guyana, was selected for secondary screening where Customs officers discovered multiple packages of frozen jumbo shrimp in Scott’s luggage. These packages contained brick-shaped objects, which upon further inspection were found to contain a white powdery substance. Field testing identified this substance as cocaine, with a total weight of approximately 18.45 kilograms.

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Special Agent Austin Barley of the Homeland Security Investigations stated that the arrest was part of ongoing efforts to intercept drug trafficking through airports. Scott, after being read his Miranda rights, reportedly admitted to the authorities that he was aware of the illegality of his actions and expected to receive a payment between $5,000 and $6,000 for smuggling the drugs.

Scott, a resident of Guyana who holds U.S. citizenship as well, was apprehended last Friday, and presented in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo on Saturday morning. Currently, he is in custody awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Should he be found guilty, Scott faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

 


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