Cocaine seized at UN headquarters in New York

A bag containing 16kg of cocaine was found at the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, the BBC reported.

16kg of cocaine were seized at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in an attempt to ship the drugs from Mexico City to the United States
16kg of cocaine were seized at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in an attempt to ship the drugs from Mexico City to the United States

The drugs were in a bag printed with a version of the UN symbol which arrived at the organisation's mailroom, setting off a security alert.

Spokesman Paul Browne said they seemed to have been delivered by accident.

There was no name or address on the shipment sent from Mexico City through Cincinnati, he added.

The white bag raised suspicions when it was being scanned because a poor imitation of a UN logo had been stamped on it, apparently in an attempt to pass it off as official baggage.

Inside the bag, the drugs were hidden in hollowed-out notebooks, UN undersecretary-general for safety and security, Gregory Starr, told reporters.

A UN spokesperson said that neither the UN nor anyone located at the headquarters was the intended recipient for the drugs.