By Raquel Maria Dillon
Associated Press
03/25/2010
LOS ANGELES — Okoronkwo Umeham had no idea that the special ingredients for a Nigerian soup would land him in a Tijuana jail. He was just doing a
favor for a relative who was longing for a taste of home.
But he says the spices, dried fish and vegetables looked like illegal drugs to the inspectors in Mexico and landed him in a Tijuana jail for two days.
The 73-year-old San Diego social worker, a U.S. citizen who was born in Nigeria, crossed from San Diego to Tijuana on March 15 to deliver the
essential ingredients for "ugu," a traditional Nigerian soup, to a younger relative who was longing for a taste of home.
Umeham took the same ingredients to Nnanna last September without incident, his wife, Gail Umeham, said Wednesday.
The Mexican inspectors asked if the labeled packages contained marijuana, and Umeham said no. He didn't speak Spanish and couldn't explain what they
were.
He said Mexican authorities put him in jail, telling him they needed to test the suspicious materials.
Javier Cossio, the head of the federal attorney general's office in Tijuana, confirmed Umeham's arrest. Cossio told the San Diego Union-Tribune that
contents of the bags that Umeham was carrying had to be tested and that Umeham had to be checked for drug use. Authorities concluded "he was not
carrying any drugs." He said Umeham also did not test positive for any drug.
He was released after two days but his wife said he was humiliated by the experience. "It would have been nice if someone had said sorry," she said.
A GOOD Lesson
MrBillM - 3-25-2010 at 11:52 AM
Stay away from all that Strange Crap.
Nobody ever mistook Chicken Noodle Soup for Drugs.DENNIS - 3-25-2010 at 11:54 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
Stay away from all that Strange Crap.
Nobody ever mistook Chicken Noodle Soup for Drugs.
Besides...who would be smuggling drugs into Mexico?
Drugs Southbound ?
MrBillM - 3-25-2010 at 12:50 PM
"Besides...who would be smuggling drugs into Mexico" ?
Quite a few Gringos, probably, including some neighbors I've known of.
Perhaps, because they have greater faith in their Supplier North of the border. Which, in some cases it's been rumored, were themselves.
