A Fort Lee NJ man was arrested after police allegedly caught him carrying cocaine at Kennedy International Airport in New York.

The 58-year-old suspect was reportedly on his way from Kennedy International Airport to the Dominican Republic.

According to police, screeners at the airport became suspicious of the suspect when he attempted to pass through with a carry-on bag. So the screeners called for officers to investigate further.

A Port Authority police officer allegedly found a speaker inside the bag. Police said that the speaker, a stereo amplifier, had been gutted and stuffed with more than one kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, the speaker was allegedly lined with lead foil in order to avoid detection.

The suspect was placed under arrest at Terminal 4 and charged with felony possession of cocaine.

Since the suspect was arrested in New York, he will be subject to stiff penalties under the New York Criminal Code. Had the suspect been arrested in New Jersey, he would have faced equally severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10, cocaine possession is typically classified as a third degree felony. A conviction on third degree cocaine possession charges in New Jersey can result in a sentence of 3–5 years in NJ State Prison.

For additional information, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Fort Lee Man Arrested at JFK with Cocaine Inside an Amplifier.”