Cocaine Disguised as Cake Seized on I-295 in Gardiner, Maine

A man and woman were arrested Tuesday following the discovery of a significant amount of cocaine in their vehicle along I-295 in Gardiner, including more than two pounds of the drug disguised as a cake..

Maine Drug Enforcement Agents recently opened an investigation into a New York City man believed to be responsible for distributing cocaine in the Central Maine area. Twenty-five-year-old John Cedeno, aka: “Papers,” had previously been charged in 2015 with aggravated drug trafficking relating to the sale of heroin.

Information from an anonymous source this week led agents to believe that Cedeno and 33-year-old Chelsy Cochran of Winslow would be traveling to Maine in an Audi. On Tuesday afternoon, agents located the car, driven by Cochran, traveling north on the Maine Turnpike with Cedeno as her passenger, according to the MDEA..

The car was later stopped, with the help of Maine State Troopers along I-295 as it entered Gardiner. A Maine State Police K9 conducted a search of the car and indicated the presence of illegal drugs. In the car’s trunk, agents found over four pounds (2 kilos) of cocaine.

Maine state Police say about half of the drug appeared to be a packaged cake, which was wrapped in cellophane with coffee grounds sprinkled on top.

The street value of the cocaine seized is estimated to be around $200,000. Also seized was about $1900 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug sales.

Cedeno and Cochran were taken to the Kennebec County Jail and charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Schedule W Drug,. Bail was set at $750,000 on Cedeno and $50,000 on Cochran. Both will likely have an initial appearance Wednesday in Kennebec County Court.

Agents believe the drugs were being transported into the state for redistribution throughout Kennebec and Somerset Counties.