Two Women Arrested at Philadelphia Airport with Nearly 100 Pounds of Marijuana Bound for Europe

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Philadelphia International Airport intercepted two separate shipments totaling 97 pounds of marijuana hidden in baggage on consecutive days. The contraband was discovered during inspections of luggage being loaded onto flights headed for Europe.

On March 16, 41 pounds of marijuana were seized, and on March 17, an additional 56 pounds were found. Two women identified as Olgalisa Taveras, 40, of Yonkers, New York, and Chelsea Anita Cromwell, 54, of Forestville, California, were arrested by Pennsylvania State Police on felony possession with intent to distribute charges.

Taveras was stopped at the departure gate of a London-bound flight, while Cromwell was detained before boarding a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. The seizures illustrate ongoing challenges in preventing narcotics from being smuggled out of the United States, particularly through major international airports.

This operation underscores the critical role of CBP’s narcotics detection efforts and law enforcement cooperation in curbing drug trafficking networks that impact communities both domestically and abroad.

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