BOGOTA, Colombia —
A Canadian woman who claimed to be 7-months pregnant was arrested in Colombia when police discovered she was actually trying to smuggle cocaine in a fake belly.
Col. Esteban Arias says 28-year-old Tabitha Leah Ritchie was stopped while trying to board an Air Canada flight in Bogota after an inspector noted that her belly was unusually cold and hard. He says police discovered a false belly made of latex taped to her body and they found 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of cocaine.
According to a BBC report, authorities estimated the value of the drugs to be $60,000. If convicted, Ritchie faces up to eight years in prison.
Police say Ritchie arrived in Colombia on Aug. 6 and he identified her as a social worker.
The Canadian Embassy did not respond to requests for details. Columbian authorities say this is the first time they’ve caught someone try to smuggle drugs in this fashion.
Officials say 874 foreigners are held in Colombian lockups, most on drug charges. Read More
— The Associated Press contributed
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