A Texas woman is facing felony drug charges after authorities said she tried to bring 71 pounds of marijuana onto a flight at Dulles Airport that was destined for London.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority arrested Du Li Park, 30, on Nov. 23 after finding 60 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana stuffed in her two suitcases, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
That much marijuana could be worth up to $330,000 in the U.S. Officials estimated that figure could be two to three times higher in London, depending on potency.
The marijuana was discovered when customs officers were loading luggage onto the flight.
Park is being charged with felony possession with intent to distribute, transporting controlled substances into the Commonwealth and narcotics conspiracy.
“Travelers who gamble with their freedom by smuggling bulk amounts of marijuana for a little extra cash may find themselves on the losing end of that proposition,” said Marc Calixte, Customs and Border Protection area port director in D.C.
Park’s arrest comes as Customs and Border Protection said it’s seeing a trend of U.S. growers and retailers shipping marijuana to Europe and Africa — where its street value is higher.
Typically, the amounts smuggled are much smaller. But that’s not always the case. Back in March, a 33-year-old Maryland woman was arrested at Dulles after she tried to smuggle 53 pounds of marijuana on a flight to Paris.
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