European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Inspection Industry Assoc lion for Airport managers Dean Sparkman an aviation consultant m Washington agreed win c customs Salt a they Wilt have All i he fac Les manned that they need he said. Quot a arc not convinced at los Point Quot the problems Stem trom me enormous increase m International a it a tragic to Iho United Stales with a record number of foreign tourists expected the summer americans face the same crowds at baggage Beds and m customs Hahs on their return trom abroad last year the International civil aviation organization Flag a United nations sponsored group recommended that member nations strive to get passengers through immigration control baggage claim and customs m a maximum of 45 minutes at new York s Kennedy International Airport the country s largest inc Mahona Gateway officials have met that go Deng Mot of the Lime with deters Runng 39 to an hour for foreign visitors at Miami International Airport the second largest International Gateway in typically takes foreign passengers 35 to 40 m nudes to pass through immigration inspectors collect baggage and Clear customs Bui the Airport to Quot constantly Short of customs inspectors Quot and needs 25 More agents to handle the growth expected tvs summer with the opening of a second International am a s . Said Peter reavely. Miami s chief of aviation development even if As expected he gets the additional agents. Reaveley said he would be Only cautiously optimistic about avoiding is is this summer in the third largest Gateway los Angelos International Airport passengers usually require 40 to 90 minutes to Clear customs and immigration said Dan Rosen the superintendent of operations before the Airport adopted the new customs process delays reached two to three hours and at Honolulu the nation s fourth larges Gateway problems have cropped up in the customs service s sister Agency the immigration andna1urah?Alion service which has been overwhelmed by the tremendous growth m the number of japanese visitors Waits to see an immigration officer vary irom 1 to 2v hours depending upon the Lime of Day Long fines end delays of customs counters can be exasperating to tired a mules Lack drugs acted of being drug Quot mutes a by Larry Mcshane associated press in the drug Trade they re known As Swallow is or mules a drug carriers who Gest condoms packed with cocaine or heroin Federal authorities weren t surprised that two turned up among the survivors of Vianca flight 52 i Wauldon i be surprised if More turned said Tony Contorno supervisory u 5 customs service inspector at John f. Kennedy International Airport my first thought was How Many internals would turn up of the night a authorities say the use of mules on the increase mostly among colombians bringing in cocaine and West africans transport log heroin in the past tour months. $9 Swallower carrying 95 pounds of drugs have Boon arrested at Kennedy Contorno said during the 12 months before that there were 110 arrests with 155 pounds seized most of them carry drugs that Are More than 90 percent pure officials said Quot we be seen a definite increase said drug enforcement administration spokeswoman Mary Cooper who estimated every colombian night included three or four Swallower it s a pretty common practice we be seen >1 Lor years some of the stories Are mind boggling several years ago. A Man was found with 445 condoms in his system last year a Man loaded with 4 g pounds of cocaine was arrested customs agent spent 23 Days Al the Hospital Wilh one suspect until he passed All the drugs he carried the earners Are Likely Able to Swallow such Large amounts by a Neshet my incur throats and sliding the condoms Down said or Fame us Khan chairman of the department of Medicine at the Nassau county medical Center Tbs s the hardest method Lor us the detect and the people involved Are becom no a Little More sophisticated.1 sad Contorno one of 60 customs agents checking Oul an average 100 International flights each Day Many q the mules make multiple tips carrying drugs officials said potential Swallower Are id nihed by customs agents through questioning said Contorno they Are then Laken to hospitals for x Ros Contorno said the agents Success rate is 65 percent to 70 percent the use of mules was splashed across newspapers and television after the Vianca crash on Long Island n y. When two of the surviving a isun jets attracted police attention the two a Joso Orlando Figeros. 3, and Antonio Zuluaga 46 a remained under police guard Al two hospitals Iasi week both will to arrested on chug charges upon their release from the Hospital said Nassau county police spokesman officer James Higgins Zahi Aga passed 19 condoms Mlod a it the White powder at the Nassau count medical Center said Hospital spokesman l re f5m-h Xigorou s Case was Rio to dram acc a doctors at North Shore University Hospital in my to Slop internal Piiru j no after Iho crash a Novod Fuji a teed / a Rucj filled Oun Dorns from to howl arc a in Lias passed 10 it kit the mute. A who make about $3,000 01 Roeie a u s visa for transport log up to $1 pm l on m Duiro. A Don i run As much of a risk As icy d d in the Early Loulos when the practice started said Contorno better wrapping materials Enki it unlikely the condoms Vail give Way but if they do burst the res i is last and Imal instant death said Khan a doctor can i gel in last enough to get it out a february 7,1990stars and stripes a Page 15
