NPR News

Drug In A Rug: Is That A Bag Of Cocaine Under Your Toupee?

By Vanessa Romo

Published July 18, 2019 at 12:22 AM EDT

The 65-year-old man — unnamed by police — tried to smuggle a more than a pound of cocaine under his toupee. He was caught by Spain's National Police shortly after disembarking from a flight arriving in Barcelona from Bogota, Colombia, in June. [Spanish National Police via Reuters] — The 65-year-old man — unnamed by police — tried to smuggle a more than a pound of cocaine under his toupee. He was caught by Spain's National Police shortly after disembarking from a flight arriving in Barcelona from Bogota, Colombia, in June.

As far as drug-smuggling plans go, this one probably should have been gone over with a fine-toothed comb.

A Colombian man trying to sneak more than a pound of cocaine into Spain was caught with the package (poorly) hidden under his toupee, a Spanish police official told NPR.

The extra carry-on bag was taped to the top of 65-year-old man's head, creating a very bizarre lewk as he disembarked from a flight arriving in Barcelona from Bogota.

The National Police saidit wasn't necessarily the Snooki-like bump that gave him away — he had tried to disguise it under a hat — but rather his lack of chill.

The unidentified man, who was dressed in a blue-and-white collared shirt and matching blue vest, was behaving suspiciously as he made his way through El Prat airport last month.

"His toupee was very curious, but the agents there have a lot of expertise and they pay attention to people's attitude," the National Police told La Vanguardia. "His nervousness was very noticeable as he was about to pass the security checkpoint."

It didn't take long to find the stash containing 503 grams of cocaine, which police estimated could be worth about 30,000 euros — more than $33,000 U.S.

The drug-in-a-rug story is not over: The harried drug mule has been charged with "a crime against public health" and is being held by the Judicial Authority, the national police said.