Brazil confirms drug suspect part of presidential trip

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian officials are confirming that an Air Force sergeant accused of trying to smuggle cocaine into Spain was working on a support mission for President Jair Bolsonaro’s trip to the G-20 summit in Japan.

The head of Brazil’s security cabinet, Gen. Augusto Heleno, said Thursday it is “bad luck” that the incident occurred at such an inopportune moment.

Spanish police said the man was arrested on Tuesday at the Seville airport with 39 kilograms (86 pounds) of cocaine.

Brazil’s Air Force says the sergeant worked as cabin crew on a support aircraft and at no point was on the presidential plane. The government says it is co-operating with Spanish investigators and has opened its own probe.