Two Bermudians suspected of being part of a drug smuggling ring have been arrested at Philadelphia International Airport after swallowing more than $20,000 worth of hash between them.

Sanchez Smith and Shakai Darrell were apprehended in two separate incidents, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), having ingested more than 1.5 pounds of hash, stored in 112 thumb-sized plastic pellets

Both were on their way back from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Bermuda, when they were picked up at Philly.

CBP spokesman Steve Sapp said their arrests "threw a wrench into a Jamaica-to-Bermuda hashish smuggling route".

Smith, 20, was quizzed by customs officers after landing on September 18 and allegedly admitted that he was an internal carrier, according to CBP. Officers from the border agency escorted him to a local hospital for an X-ray which revealed the presence of foreign bodies.

Over the course of last week, he passed 74 pellets, weighing a combined 469.9 grams, or a little more than one pound, with a street value of more than $13,000.

Smith was released from hospital on Saturday (September 26) and turned over to Pennsylvania State Police.

Darrell, 25, of Twin Lane, Pembroke, was stopped by customs officials at the airport on Friday and later escorted to hospital, where X-rays confirmed the presence of foreign bodies. He passed 38 pellets of hashish and one pellet of marijuana.

The hashish pellets weighed 300 grams, or 10.5 ounces, with a street value of $8,500.

Darrell was released from hospital on Monday night and turned over to Philadelphia Police Department, which said yesterday he would appear in court on October 5.

Mr. Sapp said smugglers typically swallowed pellets made from latex gloves or condoms which could be passed later at their final destination.

"It is not unusual for experienced swallowers to ingest as many as 100 pellets," he said. "Internal smuggling is an extremely dangerous concealment method for the carrier. Carriers have died after narcotics pellets have breached while inside them."

Allan Martocci, CBP port director for Philadelphia, said: "Internal smuggling is not a new concealment method, but it is rare for Philadelphia, so discovering and interrupting a narcotics smuggling route is an exciting proposition.

"Now that we have a clearer picture of this travel pattern locally, CBP enforcement officers will work hard to put an end to Philadelphia being used as a narcotics gateway."

Pennsylvania State Police could not be reached for comment yesterday. Bermuda Police Service did not respond to a request for comment by press time last night.