A portion of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM.
ST. CROIX — A man arriving on St. Croix aboard an American Airlines flight was arrested Tuesday afternoon after authorities discovered nearly three pounds of marijuana inside his luggage, leading to a trafficking-related charge, according to law enforcement.
The arrest followed a drug-detection canine alert on a black suitcase as it was unloaded from an inbound flight. Customs and Border Protection officers identified the luggage as belonging to Sorhaindo Vincent after it was placed on the baggage claim carousel and claimed by the passenger.
According to police, Vincent confirmed his identity and acknowledged ownership of the suitcase before being escorted to a secondary inspection area. There, officers opened the luggage in his presence and found several packages wrapped in Christmas-themed paper. Inside the packages were transparent plastic pouches containing what appeared to be marijuana.
Authorities also reported discovering a whole marijuana plant inside the suitcase, with its roots wrapped in plastic, along with marijuana seeds stored in paper pouches. The plant material tested positive for marijuana during a field test, police said.
According to VIPD documents, Vincent admitted to purchasing the marijuana “off the street in Connecticut on a basketball court.” Officers reported that Vincent said he was attempting to make money and had paid a total of $450 for the drugs. He told investigators that he transported the marijuana from Connecticut to St. Croix by flying through Miami, Florida.
Vincent was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Police said he paid the court-imposed bail of $7,500 and was released pending his first court appearance.
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