Long Beach Man Arrested at LAX After Attempting to Smuggle Meth Candy Bars

August 8th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Last week, Rogelio Mauricio Harris of Long Beach, California attempted to board a Delta flight headed to Japan out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after checking in a rollaway suitcase filled with four pounds of crystal meth. The feds note that there was what seemed to be hours upon hours of preparation for this excursion…because the methamphetamine was disguised within forty-five snickers bars. Harris almost made it onto the plane, in fact, but was detained on the jet way. When asked for his identification, he offered a passport that was marked with these words: the bearer is abroad on an official assignment for the United States Government. According to the complaint, Harris told CBP (Customs and Border Protection) agents that he was a United States Navy military police officer who was less-than-honorably discharged for his marijuana use. He was then charged with suspicion of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Harris is facing ten years behind bars if convicted.

And do I think the man will be convicted? Yes, of course I do. According to the complaints that the feds filed against Harris they became considerably suspicious of Harris’ intentions because he bought his plane ticket for Delta flight 283 with cash. It also didn’t help Harris’ cause that he was scheduled to return to the United States very quickly. It was then that agents set off to inspect his checked luggage. What they discovered was a box of these supposed Snickers candy bars. According to the feds, a metal probe was poked through the box of chocolate bars and alas, the white substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine was discovered. What is truly shocking to me is that the amount of drugs this man was attempting to smuggle into Japan would have been worth nearly a quarter of a million dollars there. “This scheme involved considerable planning and preparation and it shows the lengths to which smugglers will go in attempt to elude detection” states Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles. Also, according to the CBP there is a definite overseas market for LAX-outbound crystal meth. “Other recent attempts have involved concealing the contraband in Easter eggs, snack food bags, and cans of refried beans.” Okay, when I read that last one I literally laughed out loud!

Sources:
Blogs.laweekly.com Monday, July 30^th 2012

By Michael L.