A Northridge, California, man was charged Tuesday with attempting to leave two suitcases at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) containing methamphetamine-soaked clothing, including a cow pajama onesie, authorities said.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that 31-year-old Raj Matharu was charged with a single count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Drug traffickers continually devise creative ways to smuggle dangerous drugs in pursuit of illegal profits, as alleged in the facts of this case,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. That's right.'' “In the process, they poison communities around the world. Law enforcement is committed to fighting drug trafficking, recognizing that every attack saves a life.”
According to court documents, Masar arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on November 6 to board a flight to Sydney, Australia.
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A California man left two suitcases at Los Angeles International Airport before boarding a flight to Sydney, Australia, and they allegedly contained several items of clothing smeared with methamphetamine. (Ministry of Justice)
Upon arrival, he checked in two pieces of luggage: a pink suitcase and a gray suitcase.
Inspectors X-rayed the suitcase and found “irregularities,” prompting officers to remove it for further inspection.
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A California man left two suitcases at Los Angeles International Airport before boarding a flight to Sydney, Australia, and they allegedly contained several items of clothing smeared with methamphetamine. (Ministry of Justice)
When officers opened the suitcase for further analysis, they found more than a dozen pieces of white and light-colored clothing covered in white residue and stiff and dry.
Law enforcement officials tested a sample of the residue and it tested positive for methamphetamine.
The total weight of the methamphetamine-covered clothing was approximately 71.5 pounds (32.4 kilograms), the Department of Justice said.
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A California man left two suitcases at Los Angeles International Airport before boarding a flight to Sydney, Australia, and they allegedly contained several items of clothing smeared with methamphetamine. (Ministry of Justice)
An additional kilogram of methamphetamine residue was extracted from Masar's suitcase, the Justice Department added.
Mataru was intercepted by police as he tried to board a flight to Australia, and was subsequently arrested.
Masar has been charged and is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 2 in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. He is currently free on $10,000 bail.
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If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
