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International Traveler Caught With 4.7 Kilograms Opium At O'Hare

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  • International Traveler Caught With 4.7 Kilograms Opium At O'Hare

    INTERNATIONAL TRAVELER CAUGHT WITH 4.7 KILOGRAMS OPIUM AT O'HARE

    Homeland Security Department Documents and Publications
    May 12, 2009

    Chicago - On May 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers
    working at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport seized 4.7 kg of
    opium discovered in the checked baggage of an arriving passenger from
    Armenia via London. The seizure resulted in the arrest of a United
    States citizen.

    CBP officers encountered passenger, Boobook Aghakhani, a 44-year-old
    U.S. citizen traveling from Armenia, who transited through London's
    Heathrow Airport to Chicago O'Hare onboard United Airlines flight
    #959 which arrived Saturday evening. Upon primary examination by CBP
    officers at O'Hare, CBP officers identified Aghakhani as a potential
    high risk for smuggling narcotics and he was referred for a baggage
    exam.

    O'Hare CBP officers seized 4.7 kg of opium from a hidden compartment
    in the passenger's suitcase.

    During the examination of Aghakhani's checked bag, x-ray revealed
    inconsistencies in the bottom side of the suitcase. CBP officers then
    discovered a hidden false sided compartment located on the bottom
    side of the suitcase. The area was probed resulting in the discovery
    of a brownish-black sticky substance that field tested positive for
    opium. The false side of the suitcase was disassembled resulting in
    the discovery and seizure of 4.7 kg of opium.

    "CBP has an 'all threats' mission including the successful detection
    and identification of all forms of illegal narcotics," said David
    Murphy, CBP Director of field operations in Chicago. "Our CBP officers
    make use of a wide variety of tools and technology to ferret out
    unique deep concealment methods which result in positive outcomes
    such as with this arrest."

    Aghakhani was arrested and turned over to agents from U.S. Immigration
    and Customs Enforcement. He was subsequently charged by the Cook
    County States Attorney's Office with possession of a controlled
    substance with intent to deliver. Earlier today a Cook County Judge
    set his bond at $100,000 cash and continued his case to June 5 for a
    preliminary hearing. If convicted Aghakhani faces a maximum sentence
    of 30 years in prison.

    Brett Sturgeon, CBP Public Affairs, Phone: (312) 983-9167Fax: (312)
    353-6244or

    Cherise Miles, Press Officer, Phone: (202) 359-0959Fax: (312) 353-6244

    CBP Headquarters, Office of Public Affairs, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave.,
    N.W., Room 3.4A, Washington, DC 20229

    Phone:(202) 344-1780 or, (800) 826-1471Fax:(202) 344-1393

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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