LONDON, UK — Jaime Choi, 23, a California woman, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison after being caught smuggling over $1 million worth of crack cocaine concealed inside a 17-pound wheel of Parmesan cheese.
Authorities at Heathrow Airport intercepted Choi on May 25 as she arrived on a flight from Brazil carrying the so-called “Peruvian Parmesan.” Upon inspection, officials discovered the cheese wheel was packed with crack cocaine estimated to be 94% pure.
Choi’s smuggling route took her on a journey from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru, then Asuncion, Paraguay, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, before she flew to the United Kingdom. The sophisticated concealment method shocked customs agents, though food-based drug smuggling is a known tactic.
NCA senior investigating officer Barry Vinall stated, “We’ve seen people trying to smuggle cocaine into the UK hidden inside all manner of innocuous-looking items, but Border Force and the National Crime Agency are well-practised in finding drugs, whatever the disguise.”
Investigators also found a handwritten note from Choi dated May 21, revealing she had recently dropped out of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The note described her solo travels in South America, painting a stark contrast to her involvement in drug trafficking.
Choi pleaded guilty on August 6 to importing Class A drugs and was sentenced accordingly.
