Woman Arrives at New York Airport with 100 Pellets of Cocaine Inside and On Her

Get our free mobile app

A woman who was flying into New York was "full of pellets" of cocaine, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The woman arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday, April 9, 2021. A press release directly from the agency identified the passenger as Yerlina Lantigua Hernandez DeNova, a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States of America. She arrived from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. During her inspection Customs and Border Protection officers found three pellets of a powdered white substance in her purse. 

After making that discovery, DeNova was taken to a private search room. Upon further physical inspection, the officers found more pellets within her bra. She then admitted to officers that she was carrying pellets vaginally and anally. The pellets DeNova was carrying tested positive for cocaine. Agents found a total of 100 pellets of cocain, weighing three pounds, on and in her. The street value of the coke she was smuggling into the U.S. was more than $94,000. She has been charged with a felony - importing a controlled substance into the U.S.

In the press release I received via e-mail, Marty Rabon, Acting Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations said, 

“This seizure is another example of our CBP officers being ever vigilant in protecting the United States from the distribution of these illicit drugs."

One of my favorite shows is Drugs Inc., which comes on the National Geographic channel. They often talk to people who are drug mules who swallow pellets. It's dangerous, because if a pellet bursts, the person could die from the drugs in minutes. I'm going to guess that inserting them vaginally and anally isn't any safer and that it's probably pretty uncomfortable!