Bryan Nelson Gonzalez Rodriguez, a Californian native, was apprehended at Philadelphia International Airport for attempting to board a flight to Dublin with an astonishing 32.74kg of marijuana in his luggage. The 34-year old now faces state-level felony charges for narcotics possession with the intent to distribute. The drugs were discovered in two suitcases during outbound inspections that were being conducted on the flight bound for Dublin airport. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents arrested Rodriguez after customs officers found the anomalies and subsequently located the marijuana during the examination. The marijuana was divided into numerous black vacuum-sealed packets in the suitcases and weighed approximately 72 pounds and three ounces. The street value of the marijuana in the US was around $160,000, although high-quality marijuana could fetch significantly more in various global markets. Rodriguez was temporarily detained and later charged. Although marijuana has been decriminalized in Philadelphia, it has not yet been made legal in the city. However, in the US, cannabis has been made legal in 22 states and decriminalized in nine more, while in Ireland, a Citizens Assembly comprising 99 members of the public is currently looking into possible legislative changes to the country’s drug policy.
