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.”
