Two Pittsburgh Women Arrested at the Cyril E. King Airport for Allegedly Smuggling 13 Kilograms of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute

St. Thomas, USVI – Ngoc Nguyen, 21, and Fendi Brooks, 25, both from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, were arrested today on a complaint charging them with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute thirteen kilograms of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert, announced. Nguyen and Brooks made their initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and were detained pending further proceedings.

According to the complaint, Nguyen and Brooks were stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers at the Cyril E. King Airport after they discovered that Nguyen and Brooks were attempting to smuggle thirteen kilograms of cocaine through the airport to the U.S. mainland in their checked luggage. The white powdery substance discovered in the suitcase, field-tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately thirteen kilograms.

If convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, Nguyen and Brooks each face a term of imprisonment of not less than ten years and not more than life and a fine of $10,000,000.00 on each count.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.