Las Vegas City Wire

Two women, one from Las Vegas and the other from Ventura, California, were arrested on October 22 after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents discovered 114 pounds of marijuana in their suitcases. This information was released in an October 24 news statement by the CBP.

Ty Taanetia Anettra Angel Mason, 24, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Anetta Rachell Collins, 49, of Ventura, California, face charges of felony possession with intent to distribute. According to the news release, CBP officers found 102 vacuum-sealed bags containing marijuana in four soft-sided suitcases during a baggage inspection for a London-bound flight. A two-year-old German Shepherd narcotics detection dog named Fredo alerted officers to the presence of the substance. The women associated with the luggage were then escorted to a CBP inspection station.

The combined weight of the marijuana was reported as 114 pounds and is valued at approximately $580,000 in Philadelphia. However, depending on potency, it could fetch two to three times more in London. "Bulk marijuana smuggling is illegal," said Cleatus Hunt, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. He added that "Customs and Border Protection will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold smugglers accountable."

According to the news release dated October 24, there is an ongoing trend where U.S.-based growers and retailers ship marijuana to Europe and Africa due to higher prices for high-quality cannabis compared to those in the United States. While typically shipped in smaller parcels, CBP officers occasionally encounter travelers carrying suitcases filled with marijuana.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for safeguarding national borders and preventing illegal entry of people and contraband. Established in 1924, it operates across 328 ports of entry and protects 7,000 miles of land borders along with 95,000 miles of maritime borders.