Woman caught with cocaine in fake baby bump

Police in Colombia have arrested a Toronto woman who pretended to be pregnant to try to smuggle cocaine.

The deputy director of Colombia’s police anti-narcotics section, Colonel Esteban Arias Melo, said 28-year-old Tabitha Leah Ritchie was stopped while trying to board an Air Canada flight in Bogota after an inspector noted that her belly was unusually cold and hard.

He said police discovered a false belly made of latex taped to her body and found 2kgs (4.4lbs) of cocaine.

Police said Ritchie arrived in Colombia on Aug 6 and identified her as a social worker.

The Canadian Embassy did not respond to requests for details.

The tourist caught the attention of a policewoman at the airport who allegedly asked her how far along she was.

She reacted aggressively, saying she was seven months pregnant, which aroused the suspicion of officials who went on to search her.

“[The Canadian] didn’t like the question, which made the official suspicious. Instinctively, she then very delicately touched the lady’s belly, realising it was too hard and extremely cold,” the deputy director said.

She could face between five and eight years in prison for trying to smuggle the drugs, which have a street value of $60,000 (€45,065).

Officials said some 874 foreigners are held in Colombian lockups, most on drug charges.

Colombia produced 309 tonnes of cocaine in 2012, according to UN estimates, making it one of the world’s top sources of the drug.

This year, nearly 150 people were caught with drugs at Bogota’s airport.