Man Pulled Off New York-Bound Flight at PDX With 30 Pounds of Marijuana in His Bag

Caught Before Takeoff

Port of Portland police responded to PDX on Tuesday, June 30, after TSA screeners discovered marijuana in a checked suitcase. What they found inside was hard to miss. Prosecutors say the suitcase contained a large vacuum-sealed bag with several smaller black plastic bags weighing nearly 30 pounds and containing marijuana buds. It was an ambitious attempt at an interstate smuggling run — and it unraveled at the baggage screening belt before the plane ever left the ground.

The suitcase was labeled "Primus/Zachar" and was destined for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Alaska Airlines Flight AS18. Officers traced the luggage to 38-year-old Zachariah Primus, who had already boarded the flight. Primus was instructed to return to the gate, where Port of Portland police arrested him. The image of a passenger being called back off a plane mid-boarding is striking — and a reminder of just how thorough modern baggage screening has become.

The Charges and What Followed

Primus was booked into the Multnomah County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance. That release may raise eyebrows, but the legal consequences he faces are serious. Primus is charged with illegal import or export of marijuana items, unlawful delivery of a marijuana item, and unlawful possession of marijuana. These are felony-level charges that carry significant penalties under Oregon law.

According to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, Primus possessed more than 256 ounces — 16 pounds — of usable marijuana. The distinction matters legally, as Oregon statutes differentiate between total weight and the amount considered "usable." Either way, the volume alleged here is far beyond any personal-use threshold. This wasn't a traveler who forgot to empty their pockets after a weekend in a legal state. This looked like an organized effort to move product across state lines.

A Growing Pattern at PDX

What makes this story particularly notable isn't just the quantity — it's the frequency. This is the third marijuana seizure at Portland International Airport reported since May. On May 3, police arrested a man accused of attempting to take 50 pounds of marijuana on a flight. Then, on May 7, Port of Portland police said they found another 57 pounds of marijuana hidden inside superglued bags in a passenger's checked luggage. Three busts in roughly two months suggests either a bold smuggling trend or a serious miscalculation by those attempting it.

The logic some travelers apply — that because marijuana is legal in Oregon, flying with it is a gray area — is simply wrong. Cannabis remains a federally controlled substance, and airports are federal jurisdiction. TSA screeners operate under federal law, and any marijuana they encounter gets referred to law enforcement, regardless of state legality. Flying from one legal state to another doesn't change that calculus.

What Comes Next

Officials have asked Portland International Airport whether they have noticed an uptick in marijuana-related cases in recent months. That question deserves a serious answer. If PDX is becoming a departure point for cannabis trafficking operations, airport authorities and law enforcement may need to consider whether additional screening resources or public awareness campaigns are warranted. The cases so far have been caught — but the pattern suggests others may be trying.

For Primus, the road ahead involves navigating multiple felony charges in Multnomah County. His case will likely test how aggressively Oregon prosecutors pursue marijuana trafficking charges in the post-legalization era. Given the scale of what was allegedly found in that suitcase, it's a legal battle worth watching closely.