Nearly 300 pounds of cocaine found on unauthorized aircraft at Ohio University airport

ALBANY, Ohio -- UPDATE: March 30 @ 10:42 a.m.: Homeland Security says investigators recovered about 132 kilos, nearly 300 pounds, of cocaine from an unauthorized plane that landed at the Ohio University airport Wednesday.

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Homeland Security says the two men accused of smuggling cocaine into Gordon K. Bush Airport in an international aircraft will face a federal judge Thursday.  No suspects have been identified yet, but authorities did inform us that one of the accused did pilot the plane.

UPDATE @ 10:58 p.m.:  A "significant quantity of suspected cocaine" has been seized from the unauthorized aircraft that landed at Ohio University airport, OU Police Department officials said in a prepared statement.

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The suspected cocaine, concealed in the aircraft, was seized through a joint investigation by OUPD, the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, agents from Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security.

Homeland Security agents have the contraband and have taken into custody two male suspects who were aboard the airplane. The suspects have been taken to Columbus, according to OUPD.

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According to the Athens News website, the aircraft is believed to be registered in Canada, based on photographs of the plane taken at the airport.

UPDATE @ 5 p.m. 

The Department of Homeland Security informed the Ohio University police department at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon that an international aircraft, without proper identification, was going to be landing at the Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport in Albany.
Since the Ohio University airport is not a port of entry, Customs and Border Protection requested the occupants of the aircraft be detained until federal agents could respond, according to Lt. Tim Ryan of the Ohio University Police Department.

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Ohio University police officers remain at the airport where they are assisting federal agents as they investigate the matter.

FIRST REPORT

A plane that landed at the Gordon K. Bush Airport in Albany, Ohio, is currently being investigated by Homeland Security according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

Athens County deputies detained the plane initially until Homeland Security could arrive. The investigation is still underway and we will update you with the latest details.

Here is a live feed of the investigation courtesy of WBNS

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