(IntegrityTimes.com) – On Friday May 24 a cleaning crew servicing an Airbnb in Alhambra, California stumbled across some suspicious boxes in the course of their duties. They immediately contacted the local police.
The boxes were found to contain over 200 lbs. of methamphetamines. The finding represents a substantial blow against local drug crime. Under California law, the possession of even small amounts of methamphetamines is a fifth-degree felony. That small amount could be punished with six months to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. Larger amounts would have proportionally more severe punishment.
The Alhambra Police Department have arrested two suspects that were caught on video by a RING camera. In a post on social media, the police said the footage showed the suspects using a U-Haul van to transport the boxes of narcotics. The camera also caught the suspected drug traffickers returning to Airbnb but retreating at the sight of police presence. They were then taken into custody by law enforcement.
Airbnb expressly forbids the use of their platform, and any associated properties, in the commission of any crimes. An Airbnb spokesperson made a public statement affirming their stance on criminal activity using their services. They added that they had removed a booking guest from their platform. Airbnb is working alongside the Alhambra Police Department and cooperating with the investigation. Airbnb has a law enforcement portal for authorities to submit legal requests for information.
While two suspects are in custody, it is too early in the investigation to speculate if there could be more arrests. The cleaning crew are not currently suspected of any wrongdoing. Local police are not releasing the names of the suspects at this time. It is unclear if the suspects were associated with the rental property, registered Airbnb guests, or otherwise unconnected to Airbnb at all. The street value of the roughly 235 lbs. of methamphetamines found in the boxes is unknown, but a conservative estimate would suggest hundreds of millions of dollars.
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