Operation Toupee: Colombian Arrested in Spain with Cocaine Worth $34,000 Hidden Under His Wig

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posted on 5 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The man attracted officers' attention because he was 'considerably nervous' and his wig was of 'disproportionate size', the police said. Officers questioned him and found a 'perfectly-sealed package taped to his head'.

Madrid: A Colombian man was arrested at Barcelona airport with half a kilo of cocaine hidden under his wig, Spanish police said on Tuesday.

The man attracted officers' attention because he was "considerably nervous" and his wig was of "disproportionate size", the police said in a statement. Officers questioned him and found a "perfectly-sealed package taped to his head". It contained 503 gm (1.1 pounds) of cocaine worth over 30,000 euros ($34,000 or around Rs 23.3 lakh).

In what police have dubbed "Operation Toupee", the man was arrested at Barcelona's El Prat airport, Spain's second busiest, after arriving on a flight from Bogota at the end of June.

Spain, with its historic and linguistic links to South America, is an important gateway for cocaine to Europe, mainly from Colombia. Smugglers often resort to creative methods to get drugs past Spanish customs.

In recent years, police have found cocaine inside breast implants, hollowed-out pineapples, a wheelchair cushion, a plaster cast encasing a man's broken leg, and a 42-piece crockery set.