The Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM.
A California man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after authorities said more than 10 kilograms of the drug were discovered in his checked luggage upon arrival at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix.
The plea was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands, which confirmed that Shaheel Singh, 25, of California, entered the guilty plea before Emile A. Henderson III on January 15, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine Singh’s sentence at a later date after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court records summarized in the announcement, the case stems from events on Saturday, September 20, 2025, when officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection were conducting inspections of all checked baggage from American Airlines Flight 2211, which had traveled from Miami, Florida, to St. Croix.
During an x-ray examination of one checked bag at approximately 1:30 p.m., CBP officers observed images consistent with narcotics smuggling. Authorities said the baggage tag identified Singh as the owner of the bag. Officers then placed the luggage on the carousel and observed as Singh retrieved it.
After Singh collected the bag, CBP officers escorted him to a separate area for further inspection. A physical search of the luggage revealed multiple vacuum-sealed packages containing a green leafy substance. Testing later confirmed the substance was marijuana, with a total weight of approximately 10.6 kilograms.
Federal officials said the investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Rhonda Williams‑Henry, an Assistant United States Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
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