Bag was ‘unusually heavy,’ Florida customs agents say. Then they looked in his speaker
A Florida traveler accused of attempting to bring in drugs to Orlando International Airport from the Dominican Republic was arrested Monday afternoon.
According to the federal criminal complaint, after getting off a flight from Santo Domingo around 2 p.m., Roman Batista, 38, was passing through U.S. Customs and Border Protection. At some point during the process, an agent noticed “anomalies” with an “unusually heavy” piece of luggage out of his three bags.
The bag was passed through the X-Ray machine, and inside agents saw a portable speaker, with one loose side piece. The suspect claimed that he never took the speaker apart or tampered with it in any way, says the complaint.
Upon further inspection of the apparatus, investigators could see no electronic components inside, just four tightly taped packages that were found to contain a “white powdery substance.”
The substance subsequently tested positive for cocaine, weighing a total of 3.3 kilograms, or about 7 pounds.
Investigators say Batista invoked his right to remain silent and refused to talk without a lawyer present.
The Kissimmee man was arrested and taken to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County, where he is being held on no bond. He is charged with importation of controlled substances and possession with the intent to distribute.
