A Jamaican man made his initial appearance today on charges that he smuggled approximately one kilogram of cocaine into the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
According to federal officials, Mr. Perez Omar Gibbs, 37, of Jamaica, was arrested on Jan. 9, 2021, and is charged by complaint with one count of importation of controlled substances.
Officials said Gibbs appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was remanded without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Gibbs arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Law enforcement officers discovered that Gibbs possessed approximately one kilogram of cocaine concealed inside two bags of coffee and four picture frames.
The count with which Gibbs is charged carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.