Florida Woman Busted with 6 Kilos of Weed at St. Croix Airport

ST. CROIX, USVI – Another day, another drug mule trying to turn the Caribbean into a personal pipeline. Yvette Simeina, a 40-year-old resident of Orlando, Florida, officially copped a plea in federal court today, admitting she intended to distribute a hefty 6 kilograms of marijuana. The bust went down back on February 23, 2021, but the wheels of justice, while slow, are still turning.

According to court documents, Simeina arrived at St. Croix’s airport aboard American Airlines flight #382 from Miami, Florida. It wasn’t a smooth landing for the would-be smuggler. Customs and Border Protection agents flagged her luggage for a closer look after an x-ray scan revealed something…unusual. A physical search didn’t take long to confirm their suspicions.

Inside three wooden boxes, meticulously concealed, were multiple vacuum-sealed bags brimming with a green, leafy substance. A field test confirmed what everyone already knew: it was marijuana, classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. The total haul? A significant 6.63 kilograms – enough to supply a whole lot of questionable beach parties. This wasn’t a casual tourist with a personal stash; this was a calculated attempt to profit from illegal narcotics.

The feds aren’t messing around. Simeina now faces a maximum sentence of 5 years behind bars. A sentencing date has been set for March 22, 2022, giving her time to contemplate her choices. It’s a grim reminder that trying to skirt the law in the US Virgin Islands – or anywhere, for that matter – comes with serious consequences.

The investigation was a joint effort between Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, proving that multiple agencies are working to keep these drugs off the streets. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Rikhye is handling the prosecution, building a solid case against Simeina. Don’t expect any leniency.

This case isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a program dedicated to dismantling high-level criminal organizations. They’re not just going after the mules; they’re targeting the kingpins. You can find more information about the OCDETF Program at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The message is clear: if you’re involved in the drug trade, we’re coming for you.

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