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  4. CBP Arrests Jamaican Woman, Seizes Nearly 3 Pounds of Cocaine at BWI

CBP Arrests Jamaican Woman, Seizes Nearly 3 Pounds of Cocaine at BWI

Release Date
Tue, 07/19/2016

BALTIMORE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested a Jamaican woman Monday after they discovered nearly three pounds of cocaine in her baggage at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

CBP officers turned the cocaine and Trudian James, 30, over to the Maryland State Police for local prosecution.

James arrived to BWI about 4:30 p.m. During a secondary baggage examination, CBP officers noticed that the bottom of her suitcase was unusually thick. An x-ray detected a mass, which CBP officers probed and discovered a white, powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine.

CBP officers arrested Jamaican woman Trudian James after officers found this cocaine in her baggage at BWI on July 18, 2016.
CBP officers arrested Jamaican woman Trudian
James after officers found this cocaine in her
baggage at BWI on July 18, 2016.

The cocaine and packaging weighed about 1300 grams or nearly 2 pounds, 14 ounces. It has a street value of approximately $90,000.

“Transnational criminal organizations employ many unique concealment methods to smuggle their deadly drugs into the United States, and Customs and Border Protection officers must remain vigilant to stop these attempts,” said Dianna Bowman, CBP Area Port Director for the Area Port of Baltimore. “We’re hopeful that this arrest sends a strong message that CBP officers in Baltimore remain committed to intercepting illicit narcotics before it can reach our communities.”

CBP officers paroled James into the U.S. for prosecution and issued a detainer for her to be returned to CBP custody to complete her international arrivals inspection.

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international passengers and searches for narcotics, weapons, currency, agriculture, and other prohibited or illicit products. On a typical day, CBP seizes more than 9,000 pounds of narcotics at and between our nation’s 328 international ports of entry.

View CBP Snapshot to learn some of what CBP achieves ‘On a Typical Day.’

Travelers are encouraged to visit CBP’s Travel website to learn rules, tips and advice to help quickly complete their CBP international arrivals inspection. Learn more about how CBP secures our nation's borders at www.CBP.gov.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021