German suspect hiding drugs in stomach detained at Atatürk Airport

ISTANBUL

Police at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport detained a German national trying to smuggle cocaine in capsules hidden in his stomach and intestine, a police source said on July 23.

Police released X-ray images of the unidentified suspect, who arrived in Turkey from Venezuela, showing 54 capsules he had swallowed filled with nearly 1.3 kilograms (2.8 pounds) of cocaine.

He was taken in police custody upon arrival at the airport, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The capsules have been removed from his body.

A court sent him to jail pending trial.

Earlier this month, the authorities seized 30.5 kilograms of cocaine, worth 10 million Turkish Liras ($2.1 million) in the luggage of a Brazilian passenger also at Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

After the plane landed at the airport, the police searched the suspect’s luggage with the help of two detection dogs.

The search revealed the passenger had stashed the cocaine in vacuum bags under toys.