A New York traveler headed for John F. Kennedy International Airport found his trip cut short on the tarmac after TSA screeners at Portland International Airport reportedly spotted a suitcase packed with marijuana. The June 30 discovery happened while the Alaska Airlines plane was still on the runway, court records state, and airline staff paged the passenger back to the gate, where Port of Portland officers took him into custody. Prosecutors say the checked bag held a vacuum-sealed bundle along with several smaller packages. The man was arraigned this week and later released pending further proceedings.
How authorities say it unfolded
According to KATU, TSA officers flagged a checked suitcase that prosecutors say contained a large vacuum-sealed bag and several smaller black plastic bags. Together they weighed nearly 30 pounds and were filled with marijuana buds, according to the case file. The suitcase was labeled "Primus/Zachar" and was checked to JFK on Alaska Airlines Flight AS18. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the suspect at the counter checking in that luggage.
A pattern at PDX?
This was not the first hefty marijuana seizure to roll through the PDX baggage system in recent months. In an unrelated incident in May, airport authorities intercepted roughly 50 pounds of marijuana in checked luggage, local TV reported. KPTV noted that busts involving such large amounts in checked bags are uncommon but do happen, a reminder that screening those suitcases is still a frontline tool against bulk shipments.
Court charges and next steps
Prosecutors identified the suspect as 38-year-old Zachariah Hillary Primus of Carmel, New York. He was arraigned July 2 on three felony counts: illegal import or export of marijuana, unlawful delivery of a marijuana item and unlawful possession of marijuana, according to KATU. The indictment reportedly alleges he had more than 256 ounces of usable marijuana. Court records indicate he was released on his own recognizance, and his next hearing is set for July 30.
Legal context
Oregon law treats moving marijuana across borders very differently from simply having it. A 2021 Oregon Court of Appeals decision explained that "export" can include placing marijuana in luggage or in a parcel for delivery, and that the state’s import and export ban applies no matter how much is involved. Prosecutors have leaned on that interpretation in similar cases. For those interested in the finer legal points, the ruling is available through Justia, which lays out how Oregon courts are reading the import and export rules.
