DIVISION of Customs and Biosecurity officers on Thursday seized over 2 pounds or 1,048 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride at the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa, resulting in the arrest of a Chinese national, Customs Director Jose C. Mafnas said on Monday.
The current street price of meth is $300 per gram, giving the total meth seized Thursday a value of around $314,000, he added.
This marks the fourth major seizure of meth in the past 11 months.
Mafnas said the division intercepted more than 4 pounds of meth last week, but he could not share further details for now because the matter was still under investigation.
In March last year, Customs inspectors seized 4.9 pounds of meth, and in June of the same year, 4.04 pounds was also intercepted, both at the Chalan Kanoa post office.
During a press briefing on Monday, Mafnas said the Division of Customs and Biosecurity under the administration of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang is also committed to establishing a strong partnership with the Department of Public Safety and federal law enforcement agencies.
These latest interceptions, he said, are a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat the illegal drug trade, and the dangers that illegal drugs pose to the community.
Together with its partners, he said, Customs will remain vigilant in preventing the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband into the CNMI.
The over 2 pounds of meth was discovered in a rolled towel in a box that came from California, Mafnas said. The Chinese national, he said, was at the post office to pick up the box, and was arrested after the discovery of the meth.
Mafnas said they are grateful for the assistance of DPS, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspector Service.
He said, “This is not the only case that we will be working on. I know there was another case, but I’m not sure if I can share the information now…. I think whoever is the recipient of that got cold feet and decided not to take a chance. But the good news about it is that it never went out to the community, the same with this [over] 2 pounds [of meth],” Mafnas said.
Initial court appearance
Bing Li appeared before Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy of the District Court for the NMI for an initial appearance Monday afternoon after he was arrested and charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance — methamphetamine.
Li is accused of receiving 1,084 grams of meth by mail.
Attorney Vincent Seman was appointed by the court to represent Li, and an interpreter, Dennis Tse, was also provided for the defendant. Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Flores Jr. appeared for the federal government.
Flores filed a motion for order of detention pending trial while Seman asked the court for a five-day continuance which the court granted.
Judge Kennedy scheduled a detention hearing for Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m. and a preliminary examination hearing for Feb. 13, at 1:30 p.m.
Criminal complaint
According to the recently unsealed criminal complaint against Li, on Jan. 26, 2023, CNMI Customs & Biosecurity officers seized approximately 1,048.0 gross grams of methamphetamine from the defendant who was accompanied by another person, “Individual 1,” at the U.S. Postal Office in Chalan Kanoa.
As is standard practice for CNMI Customs, its officers opened a package addressed to Li in his presence.
“Upon opening the package, a white crystalized substance consistent in appearance with methamphetamine was observed in plain view,” the complaint stated.
It added that a sample from the package was field tested and returned positive for the presence of methamphetamine.
Li, through an interpreter, told investigators that he recorded a phone call he had with a postal employee informing him to pick up a postal slip from the San Vicente post office and proceed to the Chalan Kanoa post office to pick up his package or they would return the package to the sender.
Because of the language barrier, Li said he asked “Individual 1” to go with him to the post office.
Initially, Li told investigators that he was not expecting a package, did not know who sent the package, or what was in the package.
Li also stated that he had never been to the post office and that this was the first time.
He was then informed by investigators that lying to a federal agent was a crime.
They also informed Li that Customs officers at the post office claimed to have seen him there about three weeks ago, and that Li had stated that he was there to check if his package of sausage had arrived.
Later, Li told the investigators that he lied about the package he was expecting.
He also said that in December 2022, he was added to a Chinese WeChat account by “Saipan Bai Shitong” or SBS.
Li said that he does not know SBS, or where SBS is located, but believes that SBS is off-island.
Li said SBS told him to send SBS a photo of Li’ s passport and phone number. SBS would then send Li a package but instructed him not to open it.
Once Li received the package, he was supposed to send SBS a photo of the package and SBS would send Li a “good amount” of money.
Li told investigators that SBS sent him the tracking number after SBS sent the package.
“SBS told Li that once Li receives the package, SBS will direct Li to whom the package will be given,” the complaint stated.
It added that a postal employee told investigators that Li had gone to the post office about three times within the last month to pick up a package, but was denied because Li only had a tracking number and not a postal box number.
Division of Customs and Biosecurity Director Jose Mafnas, center, speaks to the media as Assistant Chief of Police Lawrence Camacho, left, and acting Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita listen during a press conference at the Customs office in Puerto Rico on Monday.
The over 2 pounds of methamphetamine hydrochloride seized by Division of Customs and Biosecurity officers at the U.S Post Office in Chalan Kanoa on Thursday last week.
