Man arrested at Colombia airport for trying to smuggle cocaine in wig
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A police officer cutting off the top part of the wig with a pair of scissors, revealing dozens of meticulously-packed bags of cocaine.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM POLICIA DE COLOMBIA/FACEBOOK
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Police in Colombia caught a man attempting to smuggle cocaine worth €10,000 (S$14,000) by hiding the drug in a wig.
The police at the airport in Cartagena port city, about 980km north of capital city Bogota, arrested the 40-year-old Colombian man, who was trying to board a flight to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Video footage released by the police showed an officer cutting off the top part of the wig, revealing dozens of small, meticulously sealed packets of cocaine.
Police said in a Feb 24 statement that 19 packets, totalling 220g, were found in the toupee-styled “narco-wig”.
The man was arrested on suspicion of trafficking, manufacturing and carrying narcotic substances.
The suspect had two court records for drug trafficking, the police added.
They said the drug bust has prevented the sale of more than 400 doses of cocaine, valued at more than €10,000 in international markets.
Cartagena police commander, Brigadier-General Gelver Yecid Pena Araque, said more than 450 people have been arrested for drug trafficking in 2025, with over 115kg of drugs seized, including marijuana and cocaine.
“We are dealing decisive blows against these criminals that not only fight over local drug trafficking, but are also the generators of different violent acts and other types of crimes that disrupt peace and coexistence,” he said.
