TSA discovers suspected cocaine worth $27,750 hidden in coffee container at airport
Transportation Security Administration officers discovered nearly $28,000 worth of suspected cocaine hidden inside a coffee container during a routine screening at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on November 11.
The discovery occurred during a secondary baggage screening when officers noticed a white, chalky substance inside the coffee container. Investigators with the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team responded at approximately 6:55 a.m. and determined the bag belonged to Walter Berry, a 58-year-old resident of Selawik, Alaska.
Berry was contacted at the departure gate as he prepared to board a flight from Anchorage to Kotzebue, with Selawik as his final destination. Authorities confirmed that Berry had possession of the luggage before it was checked for the flight.
Drug Arrest
The substance had a gross weight of about 185 grams and field-tested positive for cocaine. Authorities estimated the drugs would have a street value of $27,750 in the northwestern Alaska communities of Kotzebue and Selawik.
Berry was arrested and taken to the Anchorage Correctional Complex on a charge of third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance. The investigation remains ongoing with assistance from the Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team.
Security Warning
The discovery comes after several other unusual items have been flagged during airport security screenings recently. In a separate incident at New York's Watertown International Airport, officers found a spent M18 smoke grenade hidden inside an aerosol container in a passenger's carry-on bag.
At Tampa International Airport, a TSA officer noticed a baseball bat-shaped flashlight that contained a 4-inch, double-edged knife concealed inside. Keith Jeffries, a Florida-based vice president of K2 Security Screening Group and former TSA security director, warned travelers against attempting to sneak prohibited items through security.
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