Who knows what else was in her bags - gifts for grandkids, maybe some knitting materials? - but it was the 6.5 pounds of heroin hidden in Maria Resfa Garzon de Arenas' belongings that caused some red flags at the Fort Lauderdale airport yesterday.
Drug smuggling ain't news in South Florida, but here's what's interesting: Garzon de Arenas is 74 years old. Not exactly the profile you think of a smack smuggler.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami announced that Garzon de Arenas was arrested after a Bogota-to-Fort Lauderdale flight that landed at 3 p.m. June 12. She went through the customs process, and agents found heroin "sewn within the lining of notebook binders, a jewelry case, and in a false cavity of women's slippers."
She'll have a hearing June 18 in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Seltzer. If the case goes to trial and she's convicted, Garzon de Arenas faces life in prison.
Before we get out our jump-to-conclusions mat, though, let's remember the drug-smuggling world is a dangerous, unforgiving one. Time will tell what other factors may have been at play here, including maybe someone forcing Garzon de Arenas to carry the drugs. Maria Full of Grace, anyone?
WHILE IT'S ALWAYS SAD TO SEE ELDERLY PEOPLE IN JAIL, PLEASE DON'T BE FOOLED. PRIOR TO MY RETIREMENT 2 YEARS AGO. MORE ELDERLY PEOPLE WERE BEING ARRESTED LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND SOME OF THESE WERE THE MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE CRIME THEY COMMITTED. I REMEMBER ONE CASE IN PARTICULAR WHERE THIS REAL OLD MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING. I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE A MISTAKE WAS MADE. SADLY TO SAY NOT ONLY WAS I WRONG. THIS MAN WAS WELL KNOWN FOR DRUGS. PLEASE DON'T GET CAUGHT UP ON LOOKS. LAST YEAR I WAS ALMOST SET UP TO BE ROBBED BY A VERY OLD WHITE LADY WHO HAD HER HENCHMEN IN THE BACK OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE STORE. SHE TOLD ME HER CAR BATTERY WAS DEAD AND IF I HAD NOT LISTENED TO MY WIFE. SOMETHING SERIOUS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE PLOY WAS THWARTED. THE MOTTO IS TO BE CAREFUL AND NOT TO TRUSTFUL OF ANYBODY YOU KNOW AND SOME YOU DO KNOW.
Posted by: RICK TRUTH SPEAKER | June 13, 2008 at 08:29 PM
WHILE IT'S ALWAYS SAD TO SEE ELDERLY PEOPLE IN JAIL, PLEASE DON'T BE FOOLED. PRIOR TO MY RETIREMENT 2 YEARS AGO. MORE ELDERLY PEOPLE WERE BEING ARRESTED LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND SOME OF THESE WERE THE MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE CRIME THEY COMMITTED. I REMEMBER ONE CASE IN PARTICULAR WHERE THIS REAL OLD MAN WAS ARRESTED FOR TRAFFICKING. I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE A MISTAKE WAS MADE. SADLY TO SAY NOT ONLY WAS I WRONG. THIS MAN WAS WELL KNOWN FOR DRUGS. PLEASE DON'T GET CAUGHT UP ON LOOKS. LAST YEAR I WAS ALMOST SET UP TO BE ROBBED BY A VERY OLD WHITE LADY WHO HAD HER HENCHMEN IN THE BACK OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE STORE. SHE TOLD ME HER CAR BATTERY WAS DEAD AND IF I HAD NOT LISTENED TO MY WIFE. SOMETHING SERIOUS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE PLOY WAS THWARTED. THE MOTTO IS TO BE CAREFUL AND NOT TO TRUSTFUL OF ANYBODY YOU KNOW AND SOME YOU DO KNOW.
Posted by: RICK TRUTH SPEAKER | June 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
Pherhaps she did not know about it. Someone(a relative or a friend) gave her the items with the drug already inside.
Posted by: Carlos Rodriguez | June 13, 2008 at 09:55 PM
I, too, am retired, but I don't have the guts to assign myself as "TruthSpeaker".
TruthSpeaker should watch "Maria Full of Grace", as suggested in the article, before speaking to us about "truth". The unintended consequences of the War on Drugs makes criminals of people just trying to survive.... not all, of course, but enough.
Posted by: JohnC in PH | June 13, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Carlos -- that's what the Public Defender will say even if it's not the case. My first time on a Jury opened my eyes to this stuff. Unfortunately, I am now suspicious of every South American I know (or don't know, as now I think they all have fake names).
Posted by: marketa | June 13, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Drugs been flowing into this country from south america for years, it create jobs, politicians, dea, federal law enforcement, army, women, families, Miami and south america benefits from the proceeds but it poisons the blood of americans, europeans and destroy families and i think it's time to refocus on the war on drugs because the proceeds finance terrorism, prostetution and etc, it's time for people to put an end to this mess. p.s the most dangerous person in the world, is one with no job, no opportunity, no future, nothing to loose.
Posted by: revo lution | June 14, 2008 at 12:05 AM
ITS COMMON FOR DRUG DEALERS TO USE OLDER PEOPLE. MOST OF THE TIME NO ONE CHECKS THEM. THEY LOOK TO INNOCENT. THE REASON THEY DO IT IS TO SPPLEMENT THE SOCIAL SECURITY. YOU CAN DRIVE DRUGS UP 95 USING OLD PEOPLE AND NOT ONE COP WOULD STOP THEM. THEY SHOULD DO MORE CHECKING. IN MY OPINION THIS LADY IS A DROP IN A BUCKET!!
Posted by: CARL6352 | June 14, 2008 at 11:16 AM
The grandmother who was caught in the the liberty city 2-day drug sweep in the liberty square projects SHAME ON YOU1 AND i AM GLAD PEOPLE LIKE HER DOING THESE malicious acts toward our young imp ressionable people should be locked up for good. CONCERNED CITIZENS COMMITTEE,INC.
Posted by: marva lightbourne | June 14, 2008 at 05:27 PM