A 25-year-old Australian woman faces multiple felony charges as authorities say she tried to fly home with 44 pounds of methamphetamine and she was paid to carry it from an acquaintance in Los Angeles.
Yasmin Vantongeren was arrested at San Francisco International Airport last week on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine, court documents show.
San Mateo County prosecutors say Vantongeren lives in a Los Angeles Airbnb in South Korea where she meets acquaintances from years ago who are willing to pay for the holiday in exchange for Vantongeren to join her in trunk Bring back to Brisbane.
According to SF Gate, Vantongeren is said to have promised up to $10,000 for delivery, including 20 bags of sealed methamphetamine and 40 vacuum-sealed packaging bags. When Vantongeren attempted to board the flight, Traffic Safety Administration agents randomly searched her luggage in SFO.
“She’s unfortunate,” San Mateo District. Atti. Steve Wagstaffe told SF Gate. “They didn’t screen all the luggage. It was random. It wasn’t her victory.”
San Mateo County told SF Gate that they are investigating whether Vantongeren is part of a larger smuggling operation after finding Western Union receipts in her name.
Vantongeren pleaded not guilty last week and temporarily returned to court for preliminary trial next week. If convicted on all charges, she faces several years in prison.
