Where's the cocaine? In the beef!

[January 21, 2009]  ROME (AP) -- Italian customs police have arrested five people in separate drug busts, including two Brazilians who tried smuggling in cocaine hidden between packaged meat slices. Police at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport said Tuesday they seized 33 pounds of the drug last week.

Police Lt. Giuseppe di Stasio said officers became suspicious when they found packages of red meat in the luggage of the Brazilian man and woman. Inspection showed small packets of cocaine had been hidden between the meat slices.

In a separate operation, police arrested three Argentines who tried to bring in cocaine in a hidden compartment of their suitcase.

Di Stasio said the drugs would have had a total street value of euro8 million ($10.4 million).

[Associated Press]

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