Nearly 35 pounds of marijuana seized at MSP airport from inbound LAX flight: Charges

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - MSP airport police intercepted nearly 35 pounds of marijuana from two bags on an inbound flight from Los Angeles, California, according to court documents.

On March 30, MSP detectives learned of suspected narcotics possibly on an inbound flight to Terminal 1. The officers met the plane and used a certified narcotics K9 to inspect the luggage from the flight, charges said. 

The K9 alerted its handler to two bags for potential narcotics, both with tags belonging to a 23-year-old woman from North Carolina, charges stated. The woman had previously flown from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to MSP to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and back to MSP.

Authorities said when the woman flew to LAX she had no bags with her, she was overnight in the city for less than eight hours, and when she returned to MSP she had the two suspected bags, according to court documents. 

Upon the woman’s return to MSP, detectives informed her of the K9 alert for possible narcotics, but she did not consent to a search of the bags. The detectives detained the bags and requested a search warrant. 

Later the same day, detectives executed the warrant and found 34.38 pounds of marijuana packaged into smaller bags within the luggage, charges said. 

The 23-year-old woman was taken into custody and charged with second-degree sale of 10 kilos or more of marijuana within a 90-day period. If convicted, she could face up to 25 years behind bars.