Valentine's Day package contained teddy bear, chocolate...crystal meth?

(MyFoxBoston.com) – A Chelsea man was arraigned on drug trafficking charges after investigators recovered about $10,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine from a Valentine's-themed package sent to his Willard Street home.

Lawrence Ligocki, 62, was arraigned Thursday on charges of trafficking in a class B substance and possession of a class B substance with intent to distribute.

Authorities recovered 96 grams of crystal meth from a teddy bear in a package Ligocki accepted and recovered a smaller amount from his home.

On Feb. 5, postal inspectors notified state police of a suspicious package sent via Express Mail and addressed to "Larry Lajoicki" at Ligocki's address. State police responded to the General Mail Facility in Boston with a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted authorities to the package's suspected contents.

Police obtained a warrant to search the package upon delivery. The package was delivered to Ligocki's residence by a postal inspector posing as a mail carrier.

Ligocki signed for the package at which point the inspector identified himself and said a drug-sniffing dog had alerted them to the package.

The suspect contradicted a previous statement and said that he was not expecting a package.

Investigators opened the package and found several heart-shaped Whitman's Sampler chocolate boxes and a stuffed bear. Inside the bear were three bags of crystal meth.

Ligocki was taken into custody and a search warrant was executed on his home. An additional bag also believed to contain methamphetamine was recovered from a glass jar.

A judge imposed a $150 bail. He is expected to return to court on March 4.

Cox Media Group