Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
JFK's "Drug Loo" Patrols Porcelain For Smugglers' Hidden Gems
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 29, 2011
Modified May 29, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 29, 2011
Modified May 29, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
If you've ever eaten an entire package of Oreos and thought, "Yeah I could swallow 3 pounds of heroin and smuggle it through JFK to take care of these student loans, no problem," you should know that the airport has made it even easier for Customs agents to nab the contents of your bowels as evidence. The Daily News visited the "Drug Loo" at JFK, which "separates the waste from what are called 'pellets' or 'balloons,' small latex packets of heroin, cocaine or other drugs." What did authorities do before Science invented this robot toilet? It involved "officers sifting through used bed pans." No thanks, we'll stick to staring at ladyparts in the security line.
The toilet was a necessity, given that "more internal couriers," or "swallowers," are banished to the Drug Loo "than at all of the US ports monitored by Customs combined." It's difficult to pin down a specific demographic for this type of drug smuggler, but they're either "lured by money or recruited by force," and after a positive x-ray confirms the suspicions of Customs, they're sent to the Drug Loo. But that doesn't mean that there's always drugs in their intestines: so far in 2011, "officers have referred 47 suspects to the drug loo, and 34 had something to hide…a success rate of 72%—up from 62% last year." Do the innocent people who were forced to crap into a robot get frequent flyer miles or Cinnabon for life?
Tagged
crime
customs
drug mules
JFK
porn scanners
toilets
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Woman dies after tumbling from a moving SUV on the BQE near the Brooklyn Bridge
Police say the woman fell out of the vehicle after opening its rear door.
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published Nov 8, 2026 at 9:16 a.m. ET
Mamdani expands free produce programs for New Yorkers on SNAP
Another program offering cash back for purchasing fruits and vegetables will get more funding.
By
Karen Yi
News
Mamdani expands free produce programs for New Yorkers on SNAP
Another program offering cash back for purchasing fruits and vegetables will get more funding.
By
Karen Yi
Federal judge rules Mamdani administration must give ICE names of Bronx shelter residents
By
Willow Higgins
NYPD arrests and charges city schools employee in murder of Brooklyn jogger
By
Kaya Laterman
Work is underway to replace deteriorating Newark Bay Bridge, a major NY-NJ route
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .