Hung Phan was arrested at Portland International Airport in October 2025 with more than 50 pounds of marijuana in his checked bags.[1][2] He was charged with unlawful possession, illegal export and unlawful delivery of marijuana.[1] Phan said he was trying to sell the marijuana to a dealer in another state.[1][2] He told FOX 12 he flew with suitcases full of cannabis because he had gotten away with it before and was in dire need of cash.[1] Asked whether he had shipped marijuana through the airport before, Phan answered that he had done so many times in the past.[1]
Phan said he sealed the marijuana in bags, placing about 20 bags in each piece of luggage.[1] He packed dryer sheets to mask the smell and glued the zippers shut.[1] After his arrest, Phan took a plea deal and was sentenced to 36 months of probation and fined $12,750.[1] As of November 2026, Phan was about halfway through his probation.[1]
A Multnomah County prosecutor said TSA notifies Port of Portland police when it finds marijuana during a baggage check, and police then try to contact the traveler before departure.[1] The prosecutor said his office catches someone trying to smuggle 50 pounds or more of marijuana about every two weeks.[1] In 2025, Phan was one of 30 passengers pulled from the screening line at PDX after TSA agents found signs of cannabis in luggage.[1] Port of Portland numbers show six arrests for smuggling at least 2 pounds of marijuana in 2022 and five in 2023, with arrests tripling in 2024 and rising since.[1] As of September 2026, there had been 19 arrests at PDX involving marijuana smuggling.[1]
