Authorities found 2.9 kilograms of suspected heroin hidden in a passenger’s suitcase at the Calgary International Airport over the weekend, the second largest seizure of the drug at the airport this year.

A passenger was flying into Calgary from Frankfurt on Saturday when he was referred for a secondary examination, said Candace Lyle, the Canada Border Services Agency’s chief of operations at the airport.

When the man’s red soft-sided American Tourister bag was emptied, it still felt “excessively heavy,” which raised red flags, Lyle said.

“The officers x-rayed the suitcase and it revealed an abnormal organic mass,” she said.

The RCMP was called to investigate further and discovered 2.9 kilograms of suspected heroin — a “chunky, tan, powdery substance” — flat-packed in a blue plastic bag, taped up, and hidden between two layers under the plastic liner.

Lyle said the suitcase’s false bottom was “sophisticated” but there were signs it had been tampered with.

“There were screws missing, a little bit of glue residue, there was some plastic attached to the edges to hold down the plastic lining inside,” she said. “There was a brownish, reddish residue. I’m not entirely sure what that is, but it may be an attempt to conceal the odour.”

Charles Roger Mukwaaya, 26, of Ontario, was arrested and charged with two counts under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. He is expected to appear in court on Friday.

It’s not known where the drugs were from or where they were headed, said Cpl. Michael Badder, adding the investigation is underway.

“The RCMP’s serious and organized crime units recognize organized criminal activity will frequently have ties to other parts of the world, and this seizure illustrates this point specifically,” he added.

In February, authorities seized 6.7 kilograms of suspected heroin from two hard-shell suitcases belonging to a man flying into the city from London. The drugs were also hidden beneath false bottoms.

In that case, Rashid Abdulla Mussa, 44, a resident of Canada with no fixed address, was charged with importation of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Since the beginning of the year, CBSA officers at the airport have made 60 drug seizures totalling 11 kilograms.

cho@calgaryherald.com