Two travelers headed out of Miami International Airport wound up in handcuffs instead of in São Paulo after officers said they uncovered nearly 60 pounds of hashish tucked into checked luggage bound for Brazil.
Mekhi Jordon Goodlow, 23, of Los Angeles, and Lucia April Puertas, 24, of Tampa, were arrested Friday night on cannabis trafficking charges, according to NBC 6 South Florida. Authorities said the pair were stopped at the gate before they could board their flight to São Paulo.
Investigators reported that two suitcases checked under Puertas' name caught officers' attention after giving off a strong odor. An inspection turned up several vacuum-sealed packages filled with a pasty substance that field-tested positive for hashish, with a total weight of 27.19 kilograms, just under 60 pounds, according to the arrest report cited in initial coverage.
Police also said two sets of keys found in Goodlow's bags unlocked the padlocks on Puertas' suitcases. A judge later ordered both defendants held on $15,000 bond each.
How Officials Say The Bags Were Flagged
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections at MIA flagged the luggage as part of routine checks that have been turning up some sizable loads this winter.
In late February, a federal grand jury returned indictments after CBP officers seized more than 76 kilograms of hashish at the airport, a case outlined by the U.S. Department of Justice. Local coverage has also highlighted other recent stops at MIA, including a March bust where a traveler was allegedly caught with roughly 75 pounds of marijuana; see Austin flier nabbed.
Legal Implications
Puertas and Goodlow were booked on cannabis trafficking charges and appeared before a judge, who set bond at $15,000 apiece, according to early reports.
Under Florida law, possession of more than 25 pounds of cannabis is treated as trafficking and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison and a $25,000 fine, per the Florida Senate.
Authorities have not released further details about the case. The investigation remains active as prosecutors weigh whether to pursue state or federal charges.
