An Atlanta man was arrested at Washington Dulles International Airport after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers reportedly found 23 pounds of marijuana in his luggage. The man, identified as 27-year-old Octavious Lamar Dozier, was planning to fly from Washington, D.C., to Dublin, Ireland, with further plans to connect to Leeds, England. WJLA outlined that during an inspection of a checked bag, officers discovered multiple vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana inside a hard-sided suitcase.
The estimated street value of the intercepted contraband is around $90,000. However, officials speculate that the shipment "could have fetched two to three times more in Europe," FOX 5 Atlanta reported. Dozier was apprehended at the departure gate and subsequently faced charges for transporting a controlled substance into the Commonwealth, as well as possession with intent to distribute, both of which are felony charges.
This is not an isolated incident at Dulles Airport; Dozier's arrest came on the heels of another drug-related apprehension. Two days prior, a Las Vegas woman headed to Germany was arrested after what authorities say was 59 pounds of marijuana was found in her luggage.
"If you smuggle drug loads for criminal organizations, you will be caught and face criminal consequences," said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Washington, D.C., area, in a statement that flags the seriousness of attempting to move drugs internationally. "Don’t be a fool and do jail time for uncaring gangs that see you as cheap, disposable labor," she added, emphasizing the risks individuals take when engaging with such entities. Dozier has been turned into the custody of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
