ST. THOMAS — A man was arrested and charged with drug trafficking offenses after Customs and Border Protection officers reportedly found a large quantity of marijuana in two suitcases.
Gregory Turbe arrived at the Cyril E. King airport on November 10 as a ticketed passenger on a Spirit Airlines flight out of Orlando, Florida.
During inspections of checked baggage coming off the flight, a CBP drug detection dog alerted on a grey suitcase with Turbe's name on the baggage tag. His second suitcase, red in color, was identified by officers, and both were sent onwards to baggage claim.
Officers observed as Turbe collected his luggage and then intercepted him as he was leaving the baggage claim area. Upon being escorted for secondary inspection, Turbe reportedly declined to complete the provided customs declaration form, and told officers that while the suitcases were his, he did not pack them himself.
Physical inspection of the suitcases revealed 26 vacuum-sealed black bundles, which were cut open to reveal a green leafy substance in each one. The material, which totaled 12.25 kilograms, returned a positive result for marijuana when field-tested.
Turbe, who has twice before been convicted of criminal offenses in the territory, was once again arrested and this time charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Turbe made his first appearance before United States Magistrate Alan Teague on Tuesday, who ordered that he may be released ahead of trial after signing an unsecured bond of $10,000. He will be restricted from travel and subject to a daily curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Subsequent court appearances are yet to be scheduled.
