A federal indictment, first returned in June but unsealed only on Wednesday, names Timothy White, 40, of San Jose as the key figure in an extensive network that transported cocaine from California to Pittsburgh for over ten years. According to the indictment, White, who was the source of the cocaine, used a series of couriers to fly the drugs across the country, circumventing airport security along the way. Though no airport was named, an airline, Southwest was listed. Southwest is the dominant carrier at Mineta Airport.

Though no official information has been forthcoming about what tipped off the investigators, some observers suspect that it happened when one of the couriers, Ruben Mitchell, 42, lost his luggage, with 41 pounds of coke in it. He had originally intended to put his suitcase in the overhead compartment, but when there was no room, he was forced to check his bag, which later got lost.
Read More at NBC Bay Area.