A recent drug bust at San Francisco International Airport has led to the arrest of a woman attempting to smuggle a sizable quantity of marijuana. Diane Bahlawan was detained on May 6 just before boarding a flight destined for Frankfurt, Germany. Airport staff became suspicious due to the weight of Bahlawan's four roller bags, which were found to contain 151 pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bahlawan faces charges of unlawful transport of marijuana and burglary, both felonies, after officers also confiscated her boarding pass, cellphone, and $960 in cash. She has since posted bail and is expected to make her initial court appearance on June 2, per KTVU. The District Attorney's Office of San Mateo County is preparing to provide further details following the court proceeding.
Interestingly, this incident closely follows another major drug discovery at SFO involving Yasmin Vantongeren, an Australian national, caught with 44 pounds of methamphetamine. Unlike Bahlawan, Vantongeren remains in custody, having already pleaded not guilty to the charges of transporting and possessing a controlled substance for sale.
Steve Wagstaffe, the District Attorney for San Mateo County, mentioned to KTVU that while such airport cases can be charged either federally or by the state, the U.S. Attorney's Office has recently set its threshold for taking on drug cases significantly higher. "They have really raised their threshold for taking drug cases," Wagstaffe said, ultimately allowing the state to take the lead. "We are glad to take them."
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