An American resident of Guyana was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday for allegedly hiding cocaine in a bag of shrimp, NBC New York reports.

According to the newspaper, Zachary Scott arrived in the United States with two suitcases that did not appear to contain anything out of the ordinary, according to a detailed report from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. However, under the standard customs inspection process, Scott's package was selected for a more thorough secondary inspection by Customs and Border Protection officials. according to To the outlet.

Upon opening the suitcase, the officers saw “baggy clothing and multiple packages of frozen jumbo shrimp wrapped in sealed plastic,” according to NBC New York. When officers cut open the shrimp package, they reportedly discovered a white powdery substance that was later identified as cocaine. According to the report, the total amount of drugs recovered reached approximately 18.45 kilograms. (Related: Cartel forced Mexican politician to smuggle 92 pounds of cocaine into U.S., lawyer says)

On Friday, a 22-year-old man was arrested at the airport after attempting to smuggle multiple blocks of cocaine hidden inside jumbo shrimp.https://t.co/1JYJoibAfP

— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 20, 2024

According to federal prosecutors, Scott confessed to the arresting officer that he agreed to smuggle drugs for a payment of $5,000 to $6,000, NBC New York reported. He remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

As of this article's publication, a request for statements from his public defender has not yet been responded to, NBC New York reports.