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British woman busted at Los Angeles airport with meth-soaked T-shirts: police
By Bradford Betz, Sophia Compton
Published November 12, 2024
A British university student was caught at Los Angeles International Airport allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 white T-shirts soaked with methamphetamine.
Myah Saakwa-Mante, 20, is charged with illegal drug possession with intent to distribute, among other charges.
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Prosecutors say Saakwa-Mante was caught at LAX on Nov. 2 attempting to smuggle methamphetamine to Australia, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.
A woman was caught at Los Angeles International Airport reportedly attempting to smuggle t-shirts soaked with methamphetamine. (United States District Court for the Central District of California)
Customs officials found the contraband inside the case after she checked onto her international flight to Brisbane, Australia, the criminal complaint said.
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Prosecutors say the methamphetamine was "wet and had been caked into approximately 13 white t-shirts under the suitcase’s internal lining." The remainder of the contraband had become crystallized into a powdery form, according to the criminal complaint.
The methamphetamine was "wet and had been caked into approximately 13 white t-shirts under the suitcase’s internal lining," according to prosecutors. (United States District Court for the Central District of California)
Officials tested the white powder, which yielded positive results for methamphetamine, the criminal complaint said. The combined weight of the T-shirts with the methamphetamine caked in weighed around 13 kilograms, or just under 30 pounds.
Saakwa-Mante was intercepted at her gate and asked about the suitcase. She admitted that the suitcase belonged to her and that she had bought the white T-shirts from a Target using Apple Pay, according to the criminal complaint. She also confirmed she had receipts, the criminal complaint said.
Saakwa-Mante reportedly admitted she had purchased the t-shirts from Target using Apple Pay. (United States District Court for the Central District of California)
Saakwa-Mante told officials she was a university student living and studying in the U.K. and was visiting the U.S. for two days, according to the criminal complaint. She said she was on her way to Australia to meet her boyfriend, "whom she had never met in person."
When officials asked her about the white powder on the t-shirts, she claimed to have no knowledge of it.
Officers escorted Saakwa-Mante to the bag screening area and seized her two iPhones before arresting her.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Saakwa-Mante's court-appointed attorney for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/british-woman-busted-los-angeles-airport-meth-soaked-t-shirts-police