Plane Passenger Allegedly Caught with $238K Worth of Cocaine in Cushions of Motorized Wheelchair: Complaint

A woman was arrested at Chicago O’Hare International Airport after she was allegedly caught with a large volume of cocaine hidden in her wheelchair, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.

Elaine Perez-Pena was traveling from Sao Paulo, Brazil and had a layover in Chicago when she was found to have the illegal substance on Jan. 25, according to the documents filed on Jan. 26 by a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. 

Perez-Pena, whose end destination was Newark, N.J., is being charged with “possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute” after officers allegedly discovered 14.08 kilograms of cocaine in the cushions of her motorized wheelchair, according to the filing. 

In the affidavit that supports the complaint, the special agent says that based on their years of experience with similar incidents, they know that one kilogram of cocaine is worth $17,000 to $20,000. Thus, Perez-Pena allegedly possessed at least $238,000 worth of cocaine when she was caught. 

During her layover, Perez-Pena — who was seated in the motorized wheelchair after exiting the plane — was subjected to a secondary inspection due to her previous convictions involving the substance. 

She allegedly told officers that she was tired and her leg hurt while they were inspecting her other belongings. She then said that she needed to use the restroom and was having difficulty walking, so the officers escorted her to the restroom, the documents allege. 

While nothing suspicious was found in her roller bag, the officers saw that the cushions on her wheelchair appeared “newer,” so they sent it through the X-ray machine and “noticed anomalies in density and colors consistent with normal cushioning,” according to the filing.

A narcotics canine then gave a “positive response” to the odor of the wheelchair, which prompted an officer to conduct an “intrusive exam” by drilling into the cushion. A “white powdery substance” was then found on the tip of the drill, per the documents. 

After taking apart the cushions on the wheelchair, a customs officer allegedly found “approximately 14 packages containing a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine.” Perez-Pena was eventually taken to a holding cell, where she was allegedly seen pacing back and forth without the need for a wheelchair. 

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Per the filing, Perez-Pena had a history of previous convictions. In 2022, she pled guilty to “importing cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.” She received a sentence of time served and two years on supervised release, according to the documents. 

On a different occasion in 2022, she was found with 2.89 kilograms of a substance that tested positive for cocaine hidden in her suitcase when she landed in New York City from the Dominican Republic.