Police say that Carlos J. Lanns had $200,000 worth of cocaine hidden in these four pairs of shoes, which were in his checked baggage.
(Massachusetts State Police)
Jet passenger allegedly hid cocaine in shoes
Arrested at Logan upon his arrival
Police say that Carlos J. Lanns had $200,000 worth of cocaine hidden in these four pairs of shoes, which were in his checked baggage.
(Massachusetts State Police)
A New Jersey man pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges that he was carrying about two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside four pairs of shoes in his checked luggage when he arrived Monday at Logan International Airport.
Carlos J. Lanns, 24, was arraigned in East Boston Municipal Court. Judge Roberto Ronquillo Jr. set bail at $300,000 cash and scheduled a hearing for Oct. 5.
Authorities say Lanns hid 2.17 kilograms of cocaine in the shoes, which were wrapped in plastic. The drugs had an estimated street value of about $200,000, authorities said.
Lanns appeared confused during the hearing. An interpreter explained the proceedings to him. His lawyer for the hearing, Erica Colombo, entered the not guilty plea on his behalf.
Prosecutor Erik Bennett said Lanns had ties to the Dominican Republic, and asked that the judge hold him on $750,000 cash bail and require him to surrender his passport if he made bail.
Bennett said that if convicted, Lanns faced a possible 15-year mandatory minimum state prison sentence.
Colombo told the court that Lanns has no criminal record.
State Police arrested Lanns at Logan at about 6:10 p.m. Monday shortly after he got off
State Police had been alerted by US Customs and Border Protection officials.
The method used to find the drugs was not revealed “so as not to compromise ongoing interdiction efforts,’’ Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said.
Lanns faces charges of trafficking in more than 200 grams of a Class B substance.
Brian Ballou can be reached at bballou@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
