A woman has been arrested at Chicago O’Hare International Airport after a significant amount of cocaine was reportedly discovered hidden in her wheelchair. This incident took place on January 25, as revealed in a criminal complaint.
Elaine Perez-Pena was on her way from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Newark, New Jersey, with a layover in Chicago when the authorities found the illegal drugs. According to the filing by a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations, officers found 14.08 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the cushions of her motorized wheelchair.
The complaint notes that, based on the agent’s experience, one kilogram of cocaine can be valued at between $17,000 and $20,000. This means Perez-Pena was allegedly carrying cocaine worth over $238,000.
During her layover, Perez-Pena was selected for a secondary inspection due to her past convictions related to drug offenses. While being questioned, she expressed discomfort, claiming her leg hurt and that she needed to use the restroom. Officers assisted her to the restroom, but after inspecting her roller bag, they noticed that the cushions of her wheelchair looked unusually new.
An X-ray scan revealed some irregularities in the density of the cushions, prompting further investigation. A narcotics detection dog responded positively to the wheelchair, leading an officer to drill into the cushion, where a white powdery substance was found.
Upon disassembling the cushions, customs officers reportedly uncovered around 14 packages containing a white powder that tested positive for cocaine. Interestingly, after being taken to a holding cell, Perez-Pena was observed walking around without the need for her wheelchair.
Records show that this is not Perez-Pena’s first encounter with the law. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to charges related to importing cocaine and was sentenced to time served, along with two years of supervised release. Just a few months later, she was also found with nearly three kilograms of cocaine hidden in her suitcase when she arrived in New York City from the Dominican Republic.
