Drug smuggler went viral after dressing as pilot to move cocaine across Atlantic

His disguise failed to take off.

A Spanish man went viral after he dressed as a pilot in an attempt smuggle 22 pounds of cocaine across the Atlantic.

Carlos Barbería Hernando was passing through security at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá before boarding a flight to Barcelona on July 9 when agents noticed something was off about his uniform, Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported.

His uniform didn’t match those worn by pilots for any international airline — so agents sent him for a caught-on-video secondary inspection.

A video released by the Colombian National Police showed Barbería Hernando removing a dark-colored blazer and a white dress shirt.

The officer then begins to remove tape that wrapped around Barbería Hernando’s abdomen and discovering one of the hidden packages, the video shows. More packages were hidden on his legs.

In all 10 cocaine-filled packages weighing 10 kilos, or 22 pounds, were found hidden beneath his clothing, according to General William Castaño Ramos, the director of the National Police Narcotics division. The drugs have a New York street value of $250,000 to $300,000.

Barbería Hernando had previously taken flight lessons in Spain, El Tiempo reported.

However, the Spanish government’s database didn’t show that he had obtained his license to pilot an aircraft. . 

“The National Police continues to crack down on drug trafficking at the country’s airports as part of operation “Esmeralda Plus,” Castaño Ramos said.

“We will continue to strengthen anti-narcotics controls at the country’s airports to prevent criminal organizations from using air terminals for the international trafficking of illicit drugs, thereby continuing to protect the security of Colombia and the international community.”