Women Attempt To Smuggle Cocaine Inside Their Hair Weaves

Two women on their way from South America to New York City were caught attempting to smuggle cocaine inside a most unusual place: their hair weaves. According to The Smoking Gun, the would-be drug traffickers were acting a little peculiar after arriving at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, prompting authorities to engage the women in a bit of questioning.

After the women became increasingly nervous — one suspect was reportedly close to passing out at one point — the suspects were given a pat-down. It was around this time that officials discovered a bulge beneath one woman’s hair weave, which she claimed was part of the attachment. However, when she was asked to remove the weave, the suspect explained that doing so would be difficult since there was a package sewn underneath.

When authorities finally managed to remove the hair weaves in question, they encountered small packages of powered cocaine, The New York Post reports. Kiana Howell was allegedly carrying 996 grams of cocaine strapped to her scalp, while her cohort, Makeeba Graham, reportedly had 1.046 grams of the powered substance hanging out on top of her head.

Howell stated that she had no idea what was contained in the packages strapped beneath her beehive hair weave. According to the suspect, her boyfriend just told her to bring the parcel to the United States. When he told her to hide the item beneath her weave, she apparently didn’t ask question.

Not surprisingly, both women are now facing quite a bit of time behind bars. Although Makeeba Graham was released on $100,000 bond, companion and alleged drug trafficker Kiana Howell remained in police custody as of Thursday afternoon.

Hair weaves are just one of the many creative ways people have attempted to smuggle drugs around the world. The Metro reports that other schemes involved a man wearing a cast made of cocaine, dead cats filled with narcotics, and a date rape drug hidden inside vials of holy water.