Police: Canadian woman arrested at JFK Airport with guns, ammo and pot

NEW YORK -- Police arrested a woman who allegedly had two handguns, four magazines for the guns, 350 rounds of ammo and 58 bricks of marijuana totaling 33 pounds at JFK International Airport on Monday morning.

Port Authority Police arrested Canadian native Nyesha McPherson, 24, around 9 a.m. after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners discovered the contraband at JFK Terminal 5, according to Joseph Pentagelo, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police.

When TSA officers opened two pieces of McPherson's checked luggage, they saw the suitcases were stuffed with cans and boxes for baby wipes, coffee, floor dusting sheets, lemonade mix, iced tea mix, a box of cat litter and a box of laundry tablets. But none of these boxes or cans contained the products on the labels.

Artfully concealed in these containers were two dissembled .40 caliber handguns, 350 rounds of ammunition, four magazines for the guns and 58 bricks of marijuana totaling 33 pounds.

TSA officers immediately notified Port Authority Police, who responded to the checked-baggage room, confiscated the items and tracked down McPherson to make the arrest.

McPherson was in possession of a Canadian passport. She is from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. McPherson had been ticketed to fly to the Barbados.

She was arrested without incident on state charges for possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of high capacity magazines and possession of ammunition.

She is in custody and unavailable for comment. It is not clear who is representing her.

TSA officers at JFK International Airport screen approximately 73,000 pieces of checked baggage per day.