Customs officer in slammer for drugs

A U.S. customs officer is behind bars after he tried to smuggle 536 pounds of marijuana from B.C. through the Lynden border crossing on Monday, September 13.

According to charging documents unsealed in federal court on Tuesday, Cory Whitfield was arrested after a Lynden border guard became suspicious of Whitfield’s reasons for crossing the border. Whitfield, driving a white van, told Rodney Nash he was taking an engine block to a car dealership in Bellingham. Whitfield had identified himself as a customs agent as he pulled up.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Freeman said the marijuana was stashed in cabinets in the back of the van. “Based on the quantity of marijuana recovered from the van, that would be approximately 1.6 million in U.S. dollars,” said Freeman.

Charging documents state Whitfield moonlighted as a bodyguard at parties where drugs were present and said he claimed he was blackmailed into transporting the drugs by a drug dealer who threatened to send customs officials photos of Whitfield surrounded by drugs and a sexual encounter with a female not his wife. Whitfield has allegedly admitted to making the trip once before.

The accused worked at Vancouver International Airport pre-screening U.S. bound travelers. He has been a federal employee for eight years.