HOUSTON (CN) - Two cargo workers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport took bribes from an undercover agent to smuggle $100,000 and 2.4 kilos of heroin past security, federal prosecutors said.
Rolin Escobar, 50, of Houston, and Elidia Molina, 33, of Humble, Texas face up to life in federal prison and $4 million in fines if convicted, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.
Escobar and Molina worked at the airport for Express Jet and DAL Global Services, prosecutors said, citing a criminal complaint that laid out charges against them.
"They allegedly conspired together to use their positions as employees at the airport and their knowledge of security to circumvent airport security and smuggle items in exchange for prenegotiated sums of cash from an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent who they each believed to be a narcotics trafficker," prosecutors said.
"The complaint alleges on one occasion they smuggled $100,000 in U.S. currency and numerous fraudulent identification documents as well as 1.2 kilograms of heroin on a second occasion. On Oct.19, 2012, they were arrested after successfully smuggling 13 kilograms of sham heroin and 1.2 kilograms of heroin around security and returning it to the waiting undercover agents near the boarding gate."
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