2 sisters went on a cruise touring the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Mexico. They came back with kilos of cocaine worth up to $40K in their luggage, feds allege.

A federal investigator filed a criticism towards two sisters who just lately went on a cruise.

A canine helped uncover 4.75 kilograms of cocaine of their backpacks, court docket docs say.

The sisters denied smuggling narcotics, based on the criticism.

Two sisters just lately took a weeklong cruise —touring the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Mexico — and got here again with a number of kilos of cocaine hidden within the lining of their backpacks, a federal investigator alleged in a prison criticism.

The pair have been aboard the MSC Seascape Cruise Ship and departed from the Port of Miami on July 16, the investigator wrote. When the cruise returned to Miami round July 23, US Customs and Border Safety (CBP) officers performed an “enforcement operation” and encountered the sisters of their shared cabin, based on the criticism, first reported by CourtWatch.

Officers instructed the 2 to deliver their baggage for a “secondary inspection,” based on the court docket doc. The criticism doesn’t state what triggered the search.

A federal prosecutor assigned to the case didn’t reply to Insider’s request for remark despatched outdoors of working hours.

When the sisters left the cabin with their belongings, a narcotic detection canine that was introduced aboard to help with the search “exhibited a change habits and alerted to the odor of narcotics” coming from one of many girls’s belongings, the criticism said, so the sisters have been separated and searched.

Throughout the search, federal investigators allege, officers discovered “an anomaly sewed inside the liner” of the pair’s backpacks.

Inside every bag: two packages of cocaine weighing about 2.40 kilograms.

In whole, about 4.75 kilograms of cocaine was hidden within the backpacks, which Summer time Louis, a Homeland Safety agent, estimated to be value between $15,000 to $40,000, based on the criticism.

An MSC Cruises spokesperson didn’t reply to a request for remark despatched outdoors of working hours.

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The sisters denied realizing about medication inside their baggage in statements to legislation enforcement, although one of many pair advised investigators that she seen her backpack was “heavier than she initially remembered” after she left her bag behind at a restaurant to make use of the restroom throughout their July 19 cease in Jamaica.

One of many sisters advised authorities that buddies they’d met up with in Jamaica requested if she wished a bag to place her belongings in. The lady mentioned she “didn’t discover something suspicious concerning the bag as a result of she didn’t see something inside it” and took the bag again to the ship, the criticism said.

CBP officers reviewed safety footage from the cruise ship. On July 19, footage confirmed the pair leaving collectively and returning individually to the ship whereas carrying “dark-colored backpacks,” based on the criticism.

Legal professionals for the sisters declined to remark or didn’t reply to Insider’s requests for remark.

Telephone information additionally confirmed that one of many sisters despatched a message two days earlier than the cruise journey to a contact named “Kenny Jamaica.”

The textual content, based on the criticism, learn partially: “I do not know what u doing however am not doing it no extra so what ever u bought happening let it cease taking part in with me and now you not going to select up the cellphone.”

The sisters advised investigators that they weren’t requested or paid to smuggle medication, based on the criticism.

Federal prosecutors are accusing the sisters of importing a managed substance, although no prices have but been filed.

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