BALTIMORE (WBFF) — In recent months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted 247 pounds of marijuana in four London-bound baggage at Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport, officials said.
On Feb. 6, CBP officers found 116 pounds of marijuana in the baggage of a pair of travelers from Baltimore.
On March 11, officers discovered 73 pounds of marijuana in the baggage of a couple from Los Angeles. Officers also found nearly five pounds of hashish in the couple’s checked bag.
Five days later, officers found 29 pounds of marijuana in a United Kingdom woman’s baggage.
On March 19, officers seized 29 pounds of marijuana in the baggage of a Baltimore man.
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The U.K. woman was found to be “inadmissible, removed and barred” from returning to the U.S., according to officials.
All the U.S. citizen travelers were released, but investigations continue and the people may be charged later.
In two of the marijuana seizures, two CBP narcotics detector dogs alerted officers. Ozzy, a 3-year-old male American Black Labrador, alerted to the Baltimore man’s bag on March 19. Letti, a nearly two-year-old female German Shepherd, alerted to the California couple’s bag on March 11.
Ozzy, a 3-year-old male American Black Labrador, alerted to the Baltimore man’s bag on March 19. (CBP Photo/Handouts)
Letti, a nearly two-year-old female German Shepherd, alerted to the California couple’s bag on March 11. (CBP Photo/Handouts)
In each seizure, officials said officers inspected bags being loaded onto London-bound flights, detected the marijuana, identified the travelers through their bag tags and then detained them at their departure gates.
Collectively, the marijuana seized had a street value of about $675,000 in the U.S. High quality marijuana could cost two to three times higher in Europe, according to officials.
“If you smuggle drug loads for criminal organizations, we will catch you and you will face criminal consequences. Don’t be a fool and do jail time for uncaring gangs that see you as cheap, disposable labor,” Adam Rottman, CBP’s area port director in Baltimore, said via press release.
Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold smugglers and criminal organizations accountable.”
Across the nation, CBP officers continue to see a trend of transnational criminal organizations trying to transport marijuana through passenger bags and express air delivery to Europe/
Despite the decriminalization of marijuana in some states, marijuana possession and use continues to be illegal under federal law, officials said. Federal law also bans the transportation of marijuana across state lines or exporting it from the country.
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