A routine trip home turned into a nightmare for a Queens man when airport officials discovered something unexpected inside his suitcase.
Roger Levans was returning to New York from Guyana shortly after Christmas in 2010. He had packed ordinary personal belongings, including cooked rabbit and fish.
But when he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport, his journey took a shocking turn.
While going through customs, Levans noticed something unusual: the lock on his suitcase was missing.
Then authorities made a discovery that would completely change his life.
Inside the luggage were two packages containing cocaine.
Levans was stunned. He maintained that he had no knowledge of the drugs and questioned how they could have ended up inside his belongings.
He was arrested, strip-searched, and detained. His family eventually had to raise $100,000 for bail.
The situation became even more difficult when he lost his job as a security guard.
But one detail continued to trouble him.
A colorful ribbon had been attached to the handle of his suitcase. Levans said it did not belong to him.
He began questioning whether someone had accessed his luggage before it reached the airport.
His legal team continued challenging the allegations, and the case eventually took a significant turn.
Approximately three months after his arrest, federal prosecutors dismissed the charges.
According to his attorney, investigators determined that a third party had broken into the luggage and placed the drugs inside without Levans knowing.
The experience left him deeply shaken. He later pursued legal action against Delta Airlines, alleging that his luggage had not been adequately protected.
What began as an ordinary journey home had turned into a frightening legal ordeal.
His case also raised an important question for travelers: how secure is your luggage when it is outside your possession?