Cocaine in wheelchair's seat cushion at AZ border

[May 15, 2012]  NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) -- Federal authorities say a Mexican man tried to smuggle more than 7 pounds of cocaine into Arizona by hiding it in his wheelchair's seat cushion.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the 43-year-old was stopped for further inspection at the Nogales port Sunday after an officer noticed something peculiar about the cushion.

Officials say that during the secondary inspection, they found the cocaine in five packages within the seat cushion. CBP officials say the cocaine has an estimated street value of more than $65,000.

The man was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. His name hasn't been released.

Agents didn't say whether the man was disabled or was just using the wheelchair to smuggle drugs.

[Associated Press]

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