November 28th 2024.
A man in his thirties was caught by airport security at Los Angeles airport with an unusual and concerning amount of methamphetamine-soaked clothing. Among the 71 pounds of clothes, officers found a peculiar cow onesie pajama, covered in the white substance. The man, identified as Raj Matharu, was about to board a flight to Sydney when the screening officers noticed something odd about his two suitcases. They decided to take a closer look and what they found was shocking.
Upon opening the suitcases, the officers discovered that the clothes inside were not just regular garments, but were caked in a thick white residue. Socks, boxers, tank tops, sweatpants, jeans, hoodies, and even underwear were all stiff as a board and coated in the white substance. But the most surprising item was the cow onesie pajama, which seemed to have been entirely "washed" in the substance. It was later confirmed that the residue was, in fact, methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine-soaked clothing was estimated to be around 71.5 pounds, with an additional kilogram extracted from the suitcase itself. According to a federal affidavit, it is believed that the clothes were purposely soaked in the drug and left to dry, in an attempt to smuggle it into Australia. Matharu was apprehended by authorities before boarding his flight and admitted that the suitcases were his. He had paid $100 to check in a second bag, using a private credit card.
Matharu was taken into custody and charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He was released on bail after a relative paid a $10,000 bond, but is scheduled to appear in court on December 2. If convicted, he could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and even life behind bars.
In a statement, US Attorney Martin Estrada expressed concern over the continuous efforts of drug dealers to find creative ways to smuggle narcotics for their own profit. This case, where the drugs were hidden in clothing, is just one example of their ever-evolving tactics. Interestingly, just a few days before Matharu's arrest, another incident involving methamphetamine-soaked clothing occurred at LAX. A British student, Myah Saakwa-Mante, was found with 13 white T-shirts covered in the substance in her suitcase. However, she claimed to have bought the items from a local supermarket and had no knowledge of the drugs.
Saakwa-Mante's destination was also Australia, but she was headed to Brisbane instead of Sydney. Although this fact was not mentioned in the indictment, it raises suspicion that there may be a larger network involved in this method of drug smuggling. As for Matharu, he will have to face the consequences of his actions and the law when he appears in court. The dangers of drug trafficking and the measures taken to prevent it are evident in this case, and it serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against illicit drugs.
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