Maintenance workers carrying out routine checks on JetBlue aircraft in Florida got more than they bargained for when they inadvertently uncovered a drug haul on two passenger planes.
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Sgt. Murray Smith at Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said aircrafts landed for scheduled maintenance Sunday and last Wednesday at HAECO Hanger when workers discovered the drugs hidden inside the wall of the plane.
“The reality of it is, some very unsafe drugs were placed aboard an aircraft in an area that shouldn’t be accessed by anyone”, Smith said.
“This was not a hatch you just go up to and open”, Smith said. The first of the two planes had previously flown from the Dominican Republic to JFK in NY, but the flight itinerary of the second plane is not now known, WFTV 9 reported.
Some of the cocaine has been sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where officials will look for fingerprints or DNA on the packaging and try to determine where the drugs came from. He estimated the street value of the drugs was about $180,000. The Sheriff’s department is still awaiting information on the second plane’s itinerary.
During the 3 months of service, the aircraft conduct around 360 flights both internationally and domestically.
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Authorities did not release what part of the plane the drugs were placed in. HAECO did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
