A pilot discovered marijuana in the luggage compartment after a flight Wednesday night from California to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, officials said.
Pilot Kevin Bell told authorities a passenger's pink suitcase had opened during the flight and a green, leafy substance had scattered, according to a Chamblee police report.
He notified Federal Aviation Administration and FBI officials, who turned the investigation over to local police.
Bell said he thought the decompression at high altitude during the flight caused the packaging to break, and the passengers quickly collected their bags and left the airport, the report states.
Because Bell had never seen marijuana before, he told officials he wasn’t sure what to do and he vacuumed the substance and placed it in a plastic bag.
The three passengers, Donald Blanco, Benjamin Wolf and Shadi Burger, were taken by a driver to a hotel on Ivan Allen Boulevard in downtown Atlanta. That hotel was searched by detectives and an investigation is ongoing.
In other news:
About the Author
