Press "Enter" to skip to content

81-year-old arrested for smuggling cocaine in wheelchair

Rionegro, Colombia — An 81-year-old woman was arrested at the Aeropuerto Internacional de José María Córdova in the city of Rionegro after authorities found her smuggling cocaine.

The elderly woman, who was traveling in a wheelchair, was attempting to fly from Rionegro, Colombia to Madrid, Spain. She was traveling alone, claiming to be visiting relatives. While maneuvering through security, the airport’s Anti-Narcotics Police noted two unusual characteristics in her wheelchair, one of which was a fresh coat of paint. The second abnormality found was the weight of the chair.

Airport authorities began an inspection of the wheelchair, which is when they discovered three kilos of cocaine hidden inside the tubes. Police arrested 81-year-old Irene Mesa, who declared her innocence.

Antioquia Police say their investigation will now focus on discovering whether the 81-year-old woman was responsible for drug smuggling since it was the third case this year where drug traffickers use senior citizens to transport illegal substances.

“They see senior citizens as easy prey and convince them on the grounds that the law has ease because they are older people. That is why we call on them to not be fooled,” said Colonel Giovanny Buitrago.