"Cocaine Bear" producers might have a sequel ... 'cause a man was allegedly caught using another creature to smuggle blow -- and underwater sequences are all the rage.

Zacharie Scott was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport International Airport in NYC Friday for allegedly attempting to smuggle coke inside bags of frozen jumbo shrimp.

The 22-year-old -- who lives in Guyana but holds U.S. citizenship -- allegedly hid bricks of the drug inside shrimp bags, essentially covering up the substance .

.. making for a very different kind of cocktail party.

Feds said they did a field test ... revealing traces of cocaine -- and all together, the drugs allegedly weighed more than 40 pounds! Authorities say they talked to Scott ... and he confessed to agreeing to smuggle the drugs for cash.

Scott appeared in Brooklyn Federal Court Tuesday to face charges brought by Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York who's spearheading the case -- and Scott's being detained until his bail hearing on Tuesday .

.. if convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

We've reached out to Scott's attorney for comment ... so far, no word back.

Thankfully none of these shrimp were alive when the coke was put in ... or the U.S. Coast Guard might have a JUMBO problem on their hands.