[bbfan1991]

A man faces jail after trying to smuggle drugs out of the US in chocolate bars.

34-year-old Rogelio Mauricio Harris was stopped by immigration agents at Los Angeles International airport as he tried to catch a flight to Japan.

The agents found 45 bars of chocolate in his luggage which, at a closer look, contained amphetamines.

The bars were sent away for analysis, only to find that they tested positive for methamphetamine.

With this discovery, Harris was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to supply - a crime which delivers a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison.

Security agent Claude Arnold said: "This scheme involved considerable planning and preparation and shows the lengths smugglers will go to elude detection.

"The fact this ruse was detected should serve as a deterrent for others who might be considering trying similar tactics to conceal dangerous contraband."

The bars had been covered with a substance similar to chocolate to make them look real. If Harris had not been stopped, he could have sold the bars for up to £160,000 on the streets of Japan.