Flight attendant caught smuggling 60 pounds of cocaine, DEA says

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Flight attendant caught smuggling cocaine at LAX, DEA says

A flight attendant ran from Terminal 4 after officials said TSA officers caught her trying to smuggle cocaine onto a flight leaving LAX.

LOS ANGELES -- A flight attendant attempted to smuggle two suitcases packed with cocaine onto a flight leaving from the Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, according to officials.

Airport police said the flight attendant had more than 60 pounds of cocaine on her when she was pulled aside by Transportation Security Administration officers for a random screening in Terminal 4.

Drug Enforcement Administration officials said the woman abandoned her bags and ran away from security.

Officials said the woman is a JetBlue employee. The airline said they are cooperating.

Crew members are not normally subjected to searches, according to airport police.

The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association said the incident is an example of why LAX needs to screen all passengers and airport employees.

"While passengers pose threats, so do employees at airports who game the system knowing that they will not be checked when they come to work," Marshall McClain, President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association said in a written statement.