Meth-covered cow onesie in luggage smuggler hears fate
Share this @internewscast.com

Officers at Los Angeles International Airport arrested a man after he allegedly tried to smuggle meth-baked clothing, including a cow pajama onesie, in his luggage (Department of Homeland Security).

A California resident is facing a prison sentence after attempting to smuggle methamphetamine-soaked clothing, including a cow-patterned onesie, in his luggage for a flight from Los Angeles to Australia.

Raj Matharu, 31, has been sentenced to three years in prison, as reported by the Courthouse News Service. In June, he admitted to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Although Matharu initially faced a potential 10-year prison term, prosecutors chose to forgo the mandatory minimum sentence due to it being his first offense and his minor role as a courier in the drug operation. The government instead recommended a 41-month sentence, according to a sentencing memorandum. Matharu’s legal representative sought a reduced sentence of one year.

“The defendant’s involvement with drugs led him to individuals who presented an opportunity to earn money,” his attorney stated in a defense memorandum.

The defense also highlighted that Matharu is currently excelling in college, having made the Dean’s List.

“The defendant is astute enough to understand he has made a grave error and has genuinely learned from this experience,” the memo emphasized.

As Law&Crime previously reported, Matharu was traveling on United Airlines Flight 839 from LAX to Sydney on Nov. 6 and checked pink and gray suitcases before heading to the gate. Screening officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent the luggage through an X-ray machine which allegedly revealed an “anomaly,” a criminal complaint said

Officers opened the suitcases that had Matharu’s name on them and found they were filled with “white or light-colored clothing items that were dried stiff and covered in a white residue,” cops wrote.

One of the clothing items was an adult-sized cow pajama onesie. Other items included both men’s and women’s clothing such as socks, sports bras and boxers, the affidavit said.

The residue tested positive for methamphetamine.

CBP approached Matharu at the gate and took him in for an interview. He allegedly admitted the suitcases belonged to him but requested a lawyer and declined to speak further.

Officers believe Matharu “washed” a meth solution into the clothing and then left it to dry in room temperature or a cold environment. Over time, the solution would evaporate and the powdered meth would separate from the shirt to form the white residue.

Matharu’s bags purportedly contained around 71 pounds worth of meth-caked clothing, per the complaint. Cops reportedly extracted about 1 kilogram worth of the drug.

“Drug dealers are continually inventing creative ways of smuggling dangerous narcotics in pursuit of illicit profit — as alleged in the facts of this case,” Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District said in a statement. “In the process, they are poisoning communities throughout the world. Law enforcement is committed to fighting drug trafficking, knowing that every seizure saves lives.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Tragic Incident: Father Faces Charges After Toddler’s Fatal Injuries in Pack ‘n Play

Left: Matthew Nuttall (Jamestown police). Right: Isaac Benton (Peterson Funeral Home). A…

Armed Intruder Neutralized at Mar-a-Lago Resort in High-Stakes Security Incident

An early morning security breach at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump’s resort…

Ghislaine Maxwell Challenges Disclosure of Additional Epstein Documents

Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell are fighting the requested release of 90,000 pages…

Chilling Crime Unveiled: Man’s Sinister Plot at McDonald’s Leads to Gruesome Car Stabbing

Left inset: Pedro Grajales (Hartford Police Department). Right inset: Nilda Rivera (WTIC).…

NICU Nurse Convicted of Infanticide Faces Taunts from Fellow Inmates Following Release of Netflix Documentary

Lucy Letby took immense pride in her role as a caregiver for…

Urgent Search for Missing Grandfather Chris Baghsarian Intensifies in Dense Bushland

The police search for kidnapped 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian has today returned…

Used Car Salesman Allegedly Confesses to Nurse After Fatal Chloroform Incident, Authorities Report

Insets: Laikyn Marie West and Ronald Racki (Venice police). Background: The 500…

Tragic Parenting Blunder: Hot Water Bath Leads to Infant’s Burns, Parents Turn to GoFundMe Instead of Medical Help

Jonathan Gaona and Stephanie Hernandez (Greene County Sheriff’s Office). In a tragic…

Convicted Killer Smiles and Waves Defiantly During Sentencing for Neurosurgeon and Second Victim’s Murder

Inset: Dr. Devon Hoover (Verheyden Funeral Home). Background: Desmond Burks waves for…

Tragic Bar Incident: High School Wrestler’s Fatal Punch Sparks Legal Battle

Inset: Oron Beebe (Gardner Funeral Home). Background: Luke Humphrey, 18, in the…

Former ‘American Idol’ Contestant Pleads in Tragic Wife’s Shooting Case, Declares Innocence

Caleb Flynn, a former “American Idol” contestant, has entered a plea of…

First Amendment Advocates Challenge Trump-Era Gag Orders on Immigration Judges in Landmark SCOTUS Appeal

President Donald Trump speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House,…