A 25-year-old woman from Australia who was visiting Southern California is facing years in state prison after she was allegedly caught trying to fly back home with 44 pounds of methamphetamine, according to multiple reports.
Yasmin Vantongeren reportedly flew to Los Angeles at the behest of an acquaintance she’d known since 2021, an individual she told investigators offered her a “paid vacation” if she took the drug-filled suitcase back to Brisbane on her return trip, SFGATE reported.
The outlet said she was offered $6,000 to $10,000 for shepherding the meth back to Australia, though the Los Angeles Times reports that she was allegedly promised $15,000.
While in L.A., she stayed in a Koreatown Airbnb for about a week, ultimately meeting a person she didn’t know, with whom she swapped her suitcase for another.
On Feb. 14, the 25-year-old made her way to San Francisco International Airport where her trip home came to abrupt halt.
While trying to get to her flight, agents with the Transportation Security Administration flagged Vantongeren for a random screening. According to SFGATE, agents discovered 20 sealed bags of methamphetamine and 40 vacuum-sealed bags of packaging material. Her luggage also reportedly contained coffee-stained clothing, sometimes used by smugglers to mask the smell of drugs.
Investigators, who said she initially denied knowledge of what was in the bag before admitting to packing the contents of it herself, also found Western Union receipts with her name on it.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told SFGATE that while, in fact, her screening at TSA was random, authorities had received a tip about a possible drug courier trying to get through the airport.
“She’s unlucky. They don’t screen all luggage. It’s random,” Wagstaffe said. “It was not a victory for her.”
Investigators are now looking into whether the 25-year-old was a part of a larger drug smuggling ring, noting that it cost a lot of money to purchase 44 pounds of meth.
The San Mateo County DA also told SFGATE that investigators have taken anything she’s said about her recruiter “has been taken with a grain of salt.”
It’s unclear if authorities have identified either her recruiter or the person who reportedly gave her the drug-packed luggage. If so, they have not released their identities.
Vantongeren, who has pleaded not guilty, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, transportation of a controlled substance and second-degree burglary.
She is currently being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 20.
