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Authorities: Man Hid Heroin In Underwear On Flight From Colombia To JFK

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was busted at John F. Kennedy International Airport last week, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents allegedly found heroin in his underwear.

On Wednesday, April 1, Ivan Rodrigo Vidal Forero, a Colombian citizen, arrived at JFK from Bogota, Colombia and presented himself for inspection by customs agents, officials said in a news release.

Officers took Forero to a private search room and found two cylinders in his underwear near his groin area, officials said.

The cylinders contained a brown powdery substance that tested positive for heroin, officials said. About 2 pounds of heroin were seized, with an estimated street value of more than $61,000, officials said.

Forero was arrested and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations, officials said. He faces federal narcotics smuggling charges, and will be prosecuted by the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's Office, officials said.

This was the second incident in a period of a week that an international traveler was allegedly caught with heroin.

On Friday, March 26, Guatemalan citizen Esteban Antonio Ortiz Ramos arrived at JFK from Guatemala via San Salvador, El Salvador, and agents allegedly found heroin inside a seat cushion he was carrying in his bag.

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