OAKLAND, Calif. — Security screeners at Oakland International Airport were surprised to find more than 80 pounds of packaged marijuana carefully stowed inside a 26-year-old woman’s three suitcases early Friday morning, Transportation Safety Administration officials said.
TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said that just before 6 a.m. Friday, Anastasia Murdock checked her baggage for a US Airways flight heading to Jackson, Miss.
After the bags were checked, Murdock went into Terminal 1 to wait for her flight. While she was waiting, her three suitcases were screened — as is done for all bags that are checked, Melendez said.
Screening procedures, governed by federal law, are designed to detect possible threats to planes and passengers.
Much to employees’ surprise, Melendez said, the inspection revealed Murdock’s three suitcases held neatly packed bags containing 81 pounds of marijuana. The pot was confiscated and Alameda County sheriff’s deputies were called in to arrest Murdock.
Melendez said Murdock gave no reason as to why she had so much marijuana or why she was traveling with it.
Murdock is being held at Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale and selling marijuana. She is being held in lieu of $230,000.
She was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Oakland.
