An 18-year-old woman who was arrested after nearly 30 pounds of cocaine was found hidden in cake mix boxes in her suitcase will be charged as an adult, according to a Florida state attorney's office.
Ayesha Niles, who lives in London, was traveling from Jamaica to London with a stopover at Miami International Airport on Friday when she went through a routine luggage check.
"Twenty-four boxes of cake mix in your luggage," Ed Griffith, spokesperson Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, told CNN. "It just seemed extremely unusual."
It was unusual enough that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent sent Niles to the inspection area for a second screening.
According to the arrest affidavit the boxes of cake mix contained a total of "+/- 29.30 pounds of powder cocaine." According to the state attorney's office the estimated street value of the cocaine in London is $650,000.00.
The affidavit says Niles told law enforcement that the boxes were placed in her luggage in Jamaica but she was not aware of what the boxes contained.
Niles was arrested on charges of trafficking of cocaine and transporting of a control substance. Niles turned 18 this week and because of her age of majority and the seriousness of the crime the state attorney's office has filed notice that she will be charged as an adult. Niles, who is still in the juvenile system currently, could not be reached for comment.
"This is an extremely serious charge," Griffith said. "She is looking at minimum mandatory prison time upon a conviction."
If convicted Niles could be sentences up to 15 years in prison for each count.
I'm sure that's some good cake.
the young 18 yr. old is in even more trouble with whoever they bought it from! their gonna be looking for them
Let her take the lie test!
let them eat cake!
@greg, I'm pretty sure if she would have asked what was in the boxes, they probably would have put a bullet in her head, and then bring in the next mule. Dealers of that much product have been heard of doing much worse. I highly doubt you, in her position, would question the cartel.
@lisa, 15 years for EACH charges (30lbsx15yrs=150yrs) though, in our system, more likely she'll get 20-40 if a deal isn't made for her to just be extradicted back to England for punishment given her age and being a female.
What I don't get, why in the heck would you make a stop in Miami (one of the most known drug ports) and risk bringing it into the US??? Direct flight to England would seem a whole lot easier to me.
Uhhm why would u assume shes a mule? My pot dealer used to be a 15 year old kid who carried pounds in his backpack. Ur right about the flight tho thats what makes me think she wasnt a mule a cartel wouldnt make such a amateur mistake.
That's a "gotcha", for the good guys.
its all BS any drug molecule and chemical structure can be separated and reunited undetected anywhere in the world, this is a small drug dealer trying to make a few dollars
A few dollars? Since when is $650,000 considered a few of anything!!!
Do you see what happens in countries like Jamaica, Haiti, Kenya and Nigeria when you don't have laws in place. Would you rather stay there???
actually I was in jamaica recently. i wouldnt mind living in an apartment on the outskirts of a beach. it was amazing there.
absolutely!
I am guessing you have never been to Jamaica for you to make such an uninformed statement. I lived there for a few years and would be happy to go back anytime if I got the opportunity. Such an amazing place.
@JIF:
You know I adore you.
@Igor:
Beautifully stated, and something I have thought and said so, but never as well as you.
I have been called many names for my disbelief.
gives a new meaning to baked
hi benasy how are you
"Let them snort cake"
Coke in cake boxes? It was just a typo any spell checker would miss.
charlie sheen likes this.
cake and bake.
listen the drug industry is in the trillions so what you saying?
They would have put a bullet through her if she didn't take the cake mix?
How did she end up in that position in the first place?
Was she kidnapped?
I wonder why that never happened to me, as much as I've traveled. Just lucky?