Wigging Out: Man Attempts to Smuggle $10,000 of Cocaine Under His Hairpiece
In what could only be described as a misguided approach to airport security, a 40-year-old man from Pereira, Colombia, found himself in quite the hairy situation. He was apprehended while trying to board a flight from Cartagena to Amsterdam, trying to sneak under the radar—quite literally—by hiding roughly $10,500 worth of cocaine tucked beneath his wig. Yes, you read that right.
As reported by the Colombian National Police, the suspect was under the watchful eyes of the Anti-Narcotics squad when officers decided to take a closer look, leading them to an unexpected stash hidden within his toupee. Footage released shows officers snipping away at the wig to reveal capsules of cocaine, which later tested positive in the preliminary drug identification tests. This wasn’t just a few loose grams; the haul amounted to enough narcotics that authorities estimated it could yield over 400 individual doses. Talk about an overgrown hairdo!
This incident, which occurred on February 20, was part of a larger crackdown on drug trafficking, where the Metropolitan Police of Cartagena reported more than 450 arrests linked to narcotics and the seizure of over 115 kilograms of various drugs in just the first few months of 2023. Brigadier General Gelver Yecid Peña Araque emphasized the importance of community involvement in identifying criminals, stating, “We continue to insist on the importance of the community being our main ally.”
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time someone has tried to mask illegal substances in creative ways. In recent years, other bizarre smuggling attempts have included hidden compartments in shoes, inside body cavities, and even disguised as food items. The trend shows just how desperate some individuals are to bypass security protocols implemented worldwide.
With a criminal history already under his belt—two previous court records for drug trafficking—the man is now facing serious charges, including trafficking, manufacturing, and carrying narcotic substances, after being handed over to the Attorney General’s Office. One can only imagine the kind of wig reviews he’ll be getting from fellow inmates.
As drug enforcement efforts intensify worldwide, it’s clear that smugglers continue to find left-field ways to transport their products. But with increased surveillance and community monitoring, who knows? The future might just have our “wigged-out” smuggler learning a hard lesson about the lengths people will go for a high.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and People Magazine, BBC News, Colombian National Police
