British student held in US over 'plot to smuggle t-shirts soaked in meth'
A British student is accused of trying to smuggle white t-shirts soaked in meth through Los Angeles International Airport on a journey to Australia .
Myah Saakwa-Mante, 20, said she was on her way to meet her boyfriend for the first time when she was stopped while trying to board a Qantas flight to Brisbane.
Her pink suitcase was searched and contained 13 t-shirts bought from US budget store Target which were "caked with methamphetamine ", Central District of California Court was told.
Saakwa-Mante is now being held in the US as she faces a drug smuggling charge.
Court documents reveal she was stopped on November 2 and told officers she had been in LA for two days while en route to Brisbane.
White t-shirts soaked in meth were found in the pink suitcaseUS Homeland Security"Saakwa-Mante stated she was a university student living and studying in the United Kingdom and was just in the United States for two days", a US Homeland Security agent set out.
"She claimed to be on her way to Australia to meet her boyfriend, whom she had never met in person.
"When asked about the white t-shirts, she stated that during her two-day stay in Los Angeles, she had gone shopping and purchased the white shirts from a Target using Apple Pay and she confirmed that she has the receipts."
It is said the suitcase was flagged for a search after going through the airport X-ray machine. It contained clothing, a Louis Vuitton bag, and the suspected drug soaked t-shirts were found "hidden under the suitcase's internal lining".
"The t-shirts were slightly wet and covered in suspected methamphetamine", he said.
"Due to the moisture, the suspected methamphetamine was caked into the t-shirts and so could not be separated.
White t-shirts soaked in meth were found in the pink suitcaseUS Homeland Security Read More Reeves wants pension 'megafunds' to boost growth as Budget backlash continues What the papers say – November 14 Pension 'megafunds' to be created to boost investment and economic growth Botham's daughter rallies to his defence over 'aggressive' Lords no-show jibeThe court heard the soaked t-shirts weighed 13 kilogrammes, leading officers to suspect around 11 kilogrammes of meth was involving in the smuggling bid.
Officers who searched the suitcase found white powder on their gloves, and when questioned Saakwa-Mante "claimed to have no knowledge of it".
The student admitted the suitcase was hers and she had receipts for the Target t-shirts, but she did not answer questions after her arrest.
News of the incident emerged as Homeland Security sought a court order to get into Saakwa-Mante's two phones.
"Most commonly, methamphetamine is smuggled into or out of the United States in powder or liquid form", said the officer.
"In this instance, I believe Saakwa-Mante was actively trying to conceal the methamphetamine within the white t-shirts and had done so shortly before arriving at LAX, as the material was still wet.
"I believe that the methamphetamine in this case was in two forms – some was in powder form and the rest was a crystalized translucent form and the white t-shirts were used as a means to blend the narcotic with the color fabric of the t-shirt.
"I believe in this instance the methamphetamine was originally in a powder form and then the powder was 'washed' using a solvent and then blended /melded into the t-shirts."
Saakwa-Mante has been charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. It is believed she is still in custody.
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