Santa_Monica_News_Endgame for Drug Smuggler

Endgame for Suspected Drug Smuggler

By Lookout Staff

Oct. 21 -- Santa Monica police on Saturday arrested a man suspected of smuggling 135 pounds of marijuana into the country by hiding the drug in chessboards.

The arrest was made after the United States Custom Task Force contacted the local police department last Thursday regarding a shipment from South Africa that contained several kilograms of marijuana, police said.

The suspect, who was importing a shipment of African carved wood products, hid the marijuana inside 56 wooden chessboards, each containing more than two pounds of the drug, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department spokesman.

After the Narcotic Section of the Santa Monica Police Department conducted a series of surveillances Saturday, the suspect -- identified as Sweet Banda, a citizen of Zambia -- was arrested and a search warrant was served at a residence in the City of Upland, Fabrega said.

During the search, police recovered the marijuana, which has an estimated value of more than $65,000.

Banda was booked for the transportation and possession of Marijuana for purposes of sale and is being held on $100,000 bail, police said.