Customs twigs wig to find cokehead

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-19  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A BRITISH woman's bulging wig did not fool customs agents in Norway - who realized she wasn't just having a bad hair day.

The wig was hiding 1 kilogram of cocaine glued to her head and customs agents detained her on suspicion of cocaine smuggling, authorities said yesterday.

The 32-year-old suspect, whose name was withheld, arrived late Sunday at Vaernes airport near the city of Trondheim on a flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, the customs service said.

"The agent thought she had a great deal of hair and suspected that she was wearing a wig," the agency said. "The wig was examined and the agents found a bag of cocaine."

Norway's largest newspaper, Verdens Gang, said the cocaine was glued so firmly to the woman's real hair that police brought her to the local hospital to have it removed.

Kjetil Mjoesund, of Trondheim police, confirmed that it was glued to her head, but had no information about how it was removed.

A court ordered the woman to be held until July 15, pending a formal indictment.