Feds say there's been a 'recent influx of outbound narcotics' from LAX to Tahiti

From Popchips bags to phallic-shaped socks, here's how four alleged smugglers tried to conceal meth before boarding their flights

Photos of meth in a Popchips bag that were included in a federal criminal complaint.

Two criminal complaints that I’ve found so far are the result of a “recent influx of outbound narcotics destined from LAX to Tahiti,” in the words of a Homeland Security Investigations agent who filed one of them.

Not sure how they define “recent.” A quick Google search shows plenty of news stories about drug busts involving travelers between LAX and Tahiti dating back at least a few years.

In any case, here are a couple very recent cases from February.

Both involve defendants from French Polynesia who agreed to fly meth from L.A. to Tahiti for $45,000 — much more than the few thousand or so that smugglers typically get from crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

Popchips bags filled with meth

On Feb. 1, two alleged smugglers from French Polynesia were flagged before boarding a late-night flight to Tahiti.