Chinese woman arrested at Rome airport with five kilos of cocaine hidden in ‘fortune cookies’

A 40-year-old Chinese national was arrested at Rome’s Fiumicino airport after authorities found five kilograms of cocaine hidden in her luggage, Italian police said.

Packaging mimicked novelty treats

The drugs were concealed inside 127 gold-coloured envelopes marked "fortune cookies" and packed in heat-sealed cellophane packets, the police statement said. Each packet weighed about 40.7 grams.

Officers intercepted the woman immediately before she was due to board a flight to Taipei. The cocaine was discovered during a security check of her suitcase.

Police opened an investigation and took the suspect into custody; further details about charges or where the narcotics were destined were not released.

Authorities said the packaging appeared designed to resemble small novelty items, a tactic investigators frequently encounter in concealment operations at international airports.

Photo: printskrin / Jutjub/Leggo