Smuggling drugs is a risky business, with high stakes and even higher risks. People are constantly coming up with new and inventive ways to try and sneak contraband across borders, hoping for a big payday. Law enforcement agencies, like Border Protection and Customs, work tirelessly to stay one step ahead. Here are ten of the most audacious and bizarre attempts to smuggle drugs ever recorded.
Breast Implants
In 2016, a Colombian woman was apprehended at Frankfurt Airport in Germany. She was carrying a kilogram of cocaine hidden inside her breast implants! Border officials noticed fresh scars, indicating recent surgery. Doctors removed two 500-gram packages of cocaine from her breasts. The woman claimed she was trying to support her three children and that a Colombian doctor had performed the surgery. The street value of the cocaine was estimated at 200,000 euros, destined for Spain.
In a Burrito
In Arizona, 2016, a woman was arrested at the Port of Nogales after crossing the Morley Pedestrian Gate. During inspection, officers found a white substance wrapped in a tortilla, disguised as a burrito. The substance was indeed meth, weighing over a pound, with a street value of $3,000. Although officers had never seen drugs smuggled this way before, they were accustomed to people finding strange places to hide contraband.
In a Mr. Potato Head Toy
Mr. Potato Head, a beloved children’s toy, became an accomplice in a drug smuggling attempt in 2007. A package from Ireland en route to Australia contained the toy. Inside, Australian border officers found almost 10.5 ounces of ecstasy wrapped in a plastic bag. The Australian Customs Service passed the case to federal police, but no arrests were made since the drugs were sent via mail. The Australian government enforces strict penalties for drug-related offenses, including life imprisonment for importing drugs.
Inside Fruit
Hiding drugs inside food is a recurring theme. In 2017, a joint operation between Portuguese and Spanish police led to the arrest of nine people involved in smuggling drugs inside fresh pineapples. The smugglers hollowed out the pineapples and filled them with plastic bags containing cocaine, a method believed to have been used undetected for months. Over 1,000 pineapples, containing 745 kilograms of cocaine worth $22.4 million, were seized. This case led to authorities intercepting similar copycat shipments.
Inside Animals
In 2006, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency arrested 22 Colombian nationals for surgically implanting heroin into puppies. The men smuggled over 20 kilograms of heroin into the United States by slitting open the puppies and inserting drugs into their body cavities. Tragically, three puppies died due to complications. The heroin had an estimated street value of over $20 million. This method parallels using human drug mules, who risk their lives by swallowing drugs or surgically implanting them, often resulting in accidental overdoses.
Moulded Into a Cast
In 2009, a 66-year-old Chilean man was arrested at Barcelona airport for smuggling cocaine in a leg cast. He walked on crutches to appear legitimate, but authorities noticed the cast’s unusual material during an x-ray. Tests confirmed it was made of cocaine. Further inspection revealed cocaine hidden in beer cans and hollowed-out stools. The man genuinely had a broken shin, leading investigators to believe he broke it on purpose to use the cast for smuggling. He possessed 11 pounds of cocaine valued at over $500,000.
Inside a Submarine
In 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard and Colombian Naval forces captured a 40-foot submarine in the Pacific Ocean, heading to American soil. The submarine carried 12,000 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $165 million. Four Colombian citizens were arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Submarines, due to their high cost, are typically used by major drug cartels. In 2018, the Coast Guard seized another submarine carrying 17,000 pounds of cocaine, part of a larger haul of 39,000 pounds of cocaine and 933 pounds of marijuana, worth over $569 million.
Strapped to a Pigeon
In 2017, Kuwaiti officials caught a pigeon carrying drugs in a miniature backpack near the Iraqi border. The pigeon had 178 ketamine pills strapped to its back. Ketamine is an anesthetic commonly used as an illegal party drug. Customs officials had prior intelligence about pigeons being used for smuggling but had not caught one in the act until then. Pigeons have been used since Roman times to carry messages and small objects, thanks to their natural homing abilities, making them ideal for transporting items over long distances.
Using Drones
The increasing popularity of recreational drones has led smugglers to use them for transporting drugs across borders, bypassing security measures. This has become a problem along the U.S.-Mexico border. The U.S. Department of Border Protection estimates that dozens of drones cross the border undetected daily, carrying unknown amounts of contraband. In 2018, a 25-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years for flying a drone across the border with 13 pounds of methamphetamine. Hundreds more have been prosecuted for similar offenses, with potential life imprisonment penalties.
Inside Art
In 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a snail statue destined for Cincinnati, Ohio. Inside, they found over 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with a street value of $100,000. The package was shipped from Mexico labeled as “Mexican stone crafts.” Similarly, in 2020, officials discovered methamphetamine hidden inside religious paintings. A crate of paintings had 9.2 pounds of meth concealed within the picture frames. These cases demonstrate the lengths smugglers will go to conceal their illicit cargo.
From breast implants to drones, these bizarre drug smuggling attempts highlight the creativity, and sometimes desperation, of those involved in the illegal drug trade. Law enforcement agencies continue to adapt and innovate to counter these ever-evolving methods.
What do you think is the craziest method? Leave your comment below!
