Russian customs service detained a 28-year-old US citizen at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow for possession of cannabis-laced marmalade, as reported by Russian state media agency TASS.
The incident occurred on February 7 when Vnukovo customs officers discovered marmalade containing cannabinoids in the luggage of the US citizen. The individual's identity has not been disclosed, but authorities have initiated a criminal case against him, which could lead to penalties of 5 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million rubles ($10,884).
Court records show that the case was filed on February 8, and the US citizen appeared in court on February 10, where his detention was confirmed. The charges against him include 'smuggling narcotic drugs' as per the legal code listed in the record.
Efforts to obtain a response from the US State Department and the US Embassy in Moscow regarding the detained citizen have been met with limited information due to 'privacy restrictions.' The US Embassy spokesperson in Moscow declined to provide details at this time.
According to TASS, customs officials intercepted the US citizen upon his arrival from Istanbul. A drug-sniffing dog named Eureka alerted inspectors to one of his bags, which contained two plastic jars and a Ziploc bag filled with candy.
During questioning, the man claimed that the items were prescribed by a doctor in the US. However, chemical analysis conducted by customs revealed the presence of narcotic substances from the cannabinoid group in the candies, as reported by TASS.
