A federal jury convicted a Rockville, Maryland, man this week on drug charges after he smuggled over 4.5 pounds of cocaine hidden in desserts and soup mix from Colombia to Virginia’s Dulles International Airport.

Gildo Ricci, 69, a Peruvian and lawful permanent U.S. resident, was convicted on charges of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute it in the U.S., said the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday.

According to the court records,  Ricci arrived at Dulles on a flight from Bogota, the capital of Colombia, on April 25 and was referred to a secondary inspection by Customs and Border Protection agents at the airport. Ricci had multiple food items, including a cake and soup mix packets.

Noticing the cake was heavier than it should have been, an agent tried to cut it but failed to penetrate it, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release.

Inside the cake was a foil-wrapped brick containing cocaine. His other cakes also contained cocaine, as did the soup mix packets. Altogether, customs agents found 2.07 kilograms (4.56 pounds) of cocaine in his food items.

Ricci also had a backpack in one of his suitcases containing $7,750 in counterfeit bills.

When he’s sentenced on April 25, Ricci faces up to 20 years in prison.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.