Woman accused of smuggling drug-soaked papers into prisons

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Federal prosecutors have alleged that a South African woman helped orchestrate a scheme to smuggle dozens of packages containing sheets of paper soaked in drugs into prisons in Ohio and elsewhere. A criminal complaint says that Tanya Baird purchased synthetic narcotics from China, soaked the drugs onto legal paperwork, and mailed the paperwork in packages to individuals in the U.S. who then provided them to inmates. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbus said Baird was arrested Thursday as she arrived at the Columbus airport. A message was left with attorneys who represented Baird at an initial court appearance.