'Is This Cheese?' Woman Appears Shocked After Drugs Worth Rs 161 Crore Found In Her Bag At Airport

Last Updated:November 14, 2024, 19:55 IST

When authorities at Chichago's O'Hare Airport asked her about the drugs in her bag, the woman asked, "Is this cheese?"

Authorities opened her bags and found the cocaine hidden inside, wrapped in paper soaked in oil. (Representative Image)

In a bizarre turn of events, a 28-year-old British woman, Kim Hall, was arrested at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport after 43 kg of cocaine, valued at over Rs 161 crore in the black market, was discovered in her luggage. The incident raised questions about her involvement in drug trafficking, though Hall maintains her innocence, claiming she was unknowingly carrying the drugs.

Hall, from Middlesbrough, UK, was traveling from Mexico to London with a brief stopover in Chicago. During a routine security check, authorities opened her bags and found the cocaine hidden inside, wrapped in paper soaked in oil. When asked about the contents of her bag, Hall reportedly asked, “Is this cheese?" The discovery led to her arrest, and she was immediately charged with drug trafficking.

According to Hall, she was coerced into carrying the bags by two individuals she knew from a previous trip to Portugal. She claims they invited her to Mexico for a free vacation, only to threaten her at gunpoint when it was time to leave. Hall asserts that the two gave her the bags, telling her they contained approximately Rs 25 lakh in cash. Fearing for her life and with her passport seized, she reluctantly agreed to carry the bags, unaware that they contained illegal drugs.

“I’m not a drug smuggler, and I will prove my innocence," Hall told authorities after her arrest. “I thought it was something edible, like cheese, but I had no idea it was drugs." She further added that she did not suspect anything wrong in the bags, as she trusted the people who gave them to her.

Hall’s arrest took place on August 18, and she has since been detained in the US, facing a potential sentence of up to 60 years in prison if convicted. Her trial date is yet to be set, as US authorities continue to investigate the case. Hall’s mother, upon hearing the news, reportedly screamed in shock, while Hall herself expressed disbelief, asking if the death penalty was still a possibility. “I thought they’d let me go and I’d be back home soon," she said.

While Hall’s defense rests on the claim that she was duped and threatened, the case brings to light the ongoing problem of drug smuggling at airports worldwide. Similar cases have been reported regularly, including at airports in India, where travellers are often caught trying to smuggle illicit substances.

News world 'Is This Cheese?' Woman Appears Shocked After Drugs Worth Rs 161 Crore Found In Her Bag At Airport