Baggage Handlers use Employee Uniforms to Bypass Airport Secutiry in Arms Deal: Munoz, Santiago Balaguer

Zabdiel J. Santiago Balaguer and Thomas Anthony Munoz, two airline baggage handlers, used their employee uniforms and airport ID cards to bypass security screeners and carry a duffel bag containing 14 guns and drugs onto a commercial flight from Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico.^[1]

An anonymous tip to the Orlando Police Department, on Monday, March 5, led authorities to investigate the men on board the flight.^[2] Munoz was arrested as soon as he got off the plane in San Juan. Inside the duffel bag he was carrying, authorities found 13 handguns, one assault rifle and eight clear bags containing a total of 8 pounds of marijuana.^[3]

Balaguer allegedly was a middle man between Munoz and a connection in Puerto Rico as part of a weapons and drugs scheme, he had delivered guns and drugs to Puerto Rico several times in the past and allegedly offered to pay Munoz as much as $5,000 to make this delivery to Puerto Rico.^[4]

Balaguer was taken off the plane and questioned by security screeners, but released when no weapons or drugs were found on him; however he was later arrested on Tuesday, March 6.^[5] The men were both charged with the transnational crimes of conspiracy to knowingly and willfully possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of firearms that traveled in interstate commerce during a drug trafficking offense.^[6]

Attempt and conspiracy to knowingly and willfully possess with intent to distribute marijuana is a crime that occurs when, any person who attempts or conspires to commit any offense defined in this subchapter shall be subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the attempt or conspiracy.^[7]

Possession of firearms that traveled in interstate commerce during a drug trafficking offense, makes it a crime for any person to, during and in relation to any crime of violence or drug trafficking crime^[8] for which the person may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, uses or carries a firearm, or who, in furtherance of any such crime, possesses a firearm, shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such crime of violence or drug trafficking crime,^[9] be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years;^[10] if the firearm is brandished, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 7 years;^[11] and if the firearm is discharged, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years.^[12]

---

^[1] Jim Ellis, Airline baggage handlers brought guns, drugs on flight, federal officials allege, AP (via San Diego Union Tribune), March 8, 2007.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] 21 U.S.C. § 846 (2007).
^[8] (including a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime that provides for an enhanced punishment if committed by the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon or device)
^[9] 18 U.S.C. §924 (c)(1)(a)(2007).
^[10] Id. at §924 (c)(1)(a)(i).
^[11] Id. at §924 (c)(1)(a)(ii).
^[12] Id. at §924 (c)(1)(a)(iii).