A New Jersey man is among two people accused of smuggling cocaine into the United States from the Dominican Republic on a JetBlue flight.
Juan Artiles Taveras, 43, of Lakewood was arrested Friday after after authorities found more than 7 kilograms in a suitcase that arrived on a flight to Boston, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts said in a statement.
Also charged is Juan Luis Perez Garcia, 44, a Dominican national who lives in the Bronx, N.Y.
Authorities learned of the drug activity through a cooperating witness.
Perez Garcia and Artiles Taveras were taken into custody when they met with the cooperating witness and an undercover officer in a parking lot to trade cash for drugs.
Each faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted of a single count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
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