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Flight attendant leaves cocaine-filled luggage behind, takes off running

Posted at 11:44 AM, Mar 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-22 11:48:53-04

LOS ANGELES — An airline employee is on the run after she attempted to smuggle nearly 70 pounds of what authorities think is cocaine onto a plane, a spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency said.

Witnesses say that after being pulled aside last week for random screening at Los Angeles International Airport, the female flight attendant took a phone call, kicked off her shoes and ran off — leaving the cocaine-filled luggage behind — according to the union for LAX police officers.

The union says the case is an example of why LAX should screen all people entering the airport, like Miami and Orlando’s international airports do. “LAX is the top west coast terrorist target and has been the site of airport employees smuggling drugs aboard aircrafts and other criminal activities,” the statement said. “100% screening has the potential to stop an “insider” or “lone wolf” terrorist attack and to help decrease the opportunities for airport employees to commit crimes.

CNN’s Cheri Mossburg and Andy Rose contributed to this report.