Nice Pinch

We have to wonder though, how much of this goes undetected?

• Two California women have been charged after authorities say they were caught transporting large quantities of suspected cocaine through Chicago O’Hare International Airport this week.

  According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the investigation began with an intelligence lead that prompted agents to monitor incoming flights from Los Angeles.

  On January 5, 2026, DEA personnel identified Nancy Ramos, 20, of Huntington Park, California, after she arrived at O’Hare.

  Investigators said Ramos agreed to a search of her checked luggage after a narcotics detection dog alerted to possible drugs inside. During the search, officers allegedly discovered about 13 kilograms — nearly 29 pounds — of suspected cocaine concealed in her bags.

  Agents later located Vanessa Perez, 27, of Los Angeles, after she arrived at O’Hare. A consensual search of her checked luggage allegedly revealed an additional nine kilograms — almost 20 pounds — of suspected cocaine, authorities said.

Back-to-back pinches like that indicate at least one thing to us - that this is just scrapping the surface of a massive problem. No one transports almost fifty pounds of blow through O'Hare airport as a first-time effort....you work up to it over an extended period of time.

By the way, neither one is being held in custody:

• Judge Shauna Boliker denied a detention petition for Ramos and ordered her released on electronic monitoring, according to court records. Prosecutors did not seek detention for Perez. Judge Antara Rivera released her pending trial.

Let's see if they show up at the next court hearing....or if they "disappear" after losing fifty pounds of cocaine.