Colombia arrests woman with cocaine in latex belly

BOGOTA - Colombia's National Police (NP) said Wednesday that a Canadian citizen has been arrested for trying to smuggle two kilograms of cocaine stashed in a latex belly taped to her body faking pregnancy.

According to police, 28-year-old Tabitha Leah Ritchie, a social worker who arrived in Colombia on August 6 from Toronto, was arrested at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota while attempting to board a return flight to Canada.

Esteban Arias Melo, deputy director of the police narcotics division, said the arrest was made after a female officer found the suspect became nervous and aggressive when asked how many months along she was in her pregnancy.

"The Canadian citizen said she was seven months pregnant and appeared to be quite aggressive," said Arias, adding police were able to confirm during an inspection in the anti-narcotics control area that "her pregnancy was the result of a well-made 'latex belly', easy to adhere to her back."

The latex pouch contained 2 kg of cocaine, which could sell for some $60,000 in Canada.

Ritchie was charged with trafficking, possessing and manufacturing narcotics, for which she might face a sentence of between five and eight years in prison.

During the first eight months of 2013, the narcotics division arrested 238 people for drug trafficking at the country's international airports, mainly El Dorado airport, where 94 foreigners have been detained.