U.S. Customs in Pennsylvania seizes 170 pounds of marijuana, revealing a new smuggling trend that’s cashing in on U.S.-grown cannabis.
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PENNSYLVANIA, PA
– A significant marijuana bust at a Pennsylvania export facility this week led U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to seize 170 pounds of cannabis slated for London, England. CBP officials report that the substantial amount was detected during a routine examination of export parcels, spotlighting an international trend of high-demand U.S.-grown marijuana reaching European markets.
CBP officers were conducting checks at an export service center in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on Monday when they uncovered 35 individual parcels, each packed with cannabis. According to CBP, this volume of marijuana shipments in one inspection is uncommon for Philadelphia.
“The sheer number of export marijuana parcels that we’ve seen is unprecedented,” said Cleatus Hunt, CBP’s Area Port Director for Philadelphia. “These are also parcels that London consumers won’t see,” he added, affirming CBP’s commitment to intercepting illegal exports despite shifting marijuana laws in some U.S. states.
The Value and Demand for U.S. Marijuana Overseas
CBP estimated that the marijuana seized could have a street value of approximately $800,000 in Philadelphia. However, in London, the price could surge to two or three times that figure, depending on potency.
CBP officers have observed a “trend” among some U.S.-based cannabis growers and distributors who attempt to tap into lucrative overseas markets, particularly in Europe and Africa, where high-quality American-grown marijuana is highly sought after.
CBP’s Enforcement Amid Changing U.S. Marijuana Laws
Although some states in the U.S. have moved to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, federal law still categorizes cannabis possession and distribution as illegal. “Though medical and recreational use of marijuana is being decriminalized in some U.S. states, marijuana possession and bulk smuggling remain illegal under federal law, and so Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to seize it when we encounter it,” Hunt stated.
Recent Similar Seizure at Philadelphia Airport
This bust comes on the heels of another significant marijuana seizure at Philadelphia International Airport. Just two weeks earlier, on October 22, CBP officers there discovered 114 pounds of marijuana stashed in the luggage of two women ticketed for a flight to London.
Following the airport seizure, agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, working in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigation’s Border Enforcement Security Task Force, took the two women into custody. Identified as Anetta Rachell Collins, 49, of Ventura, California, and Ty Taanetia Anettra Angel Mason, 24, of Las Vegas, Nevada, both travelers now face felony charges for possession with intent to distribute.
As CBP ramps up efforts to intercept illegal marijuana exports, the agency underscores the challenges of enforcing U.S. laws that don’t align with shifting global perceptions of cannabis. For now, federal authorities remain on high alert to stop these illegal shipments, keeping U.S.-grown cannabis from landing in overseas markets.
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