Photo: German Customs Office

Cocaine-soaked tablecloths found by Munich airport customs

Published: 4 Jun 09 11:25 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090604-19707.html

Three tablecloths that had been soaked and dried in a liquid-cocaine solution have been discovered in the Munich Airport, customs officials reported on Thursday.

According to airport customs workers, air cargo from South America attracted attention on Wednesday because it contained three simple tablecloths that weighed an unusual five kilogrammes.

The tablecloths were subsequently subjected to a rapid drug test in accordance with Munich airport’s regulations on Thursday and tested positive for cocaine.

Exactly how much cocaine the tablecloths contain has yet to be determined, a spokesperson for Munich airport customs Thursday.

He called the discovery “rather unusual.”

The tablecloths were most likely saturated with liquefied cocaine powder and then air dried, he said. In order to recover the narcotic, “chemical treatments” must be used, the airport said.

On May 26, customs workers at the same airport found suspiciously heavy hammocks from South America that turned out to contain a substantial amount of cocaine.

“There is no connection between the two cases,” Munich customs spokesperson Thomas Meister told The Local on Thursday. “This is the first time we’ve had such a case and it is very uncommon for us.”

Law enforcement officers have begun an investigation of the intended freight package recipients, who do not live within Germany, Meister said.

DDP/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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