ROMULUS, Mich. – Officials caught a Michigan man who scheduled some last-minute flights to try to sneak bricks of cocaine through DTW in his checked luggage.
Investigation into Woodrow Campbell
A special agent with the Department of Homeland Security said officials were investigating Woodrow Campbell, of Saginaw, and the possible transportation of drugs.
A criminal complaint filed June 8, 2024, centers around a flight from Los Angeles to DTW on June 7, 2024. But Campbell also has a prior history of bringing narcotics on flights, according to the complaint.
Officials said on May 10, 2023, Campbell “ghosted” -- or abandoned -- a checked bag at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. About 4.82 kilograms of cocaine were later found in that bag.
Last-minute booking
On June 6, Campbell booked a last-minute, one-way flight for the following day. He booked a Delta flight from LAX to DTW, and then, after a short layover, a flight from DTW to Saginaw (MBS).
This booking was made less than 24 hours before the first flight, officials said. Campbell had three checked bags.
Officials said drug traffickers will sometimes book last-minute flights to try to “thwart” officers from arresting them or finding the drugs.
First two bags seized
Officials with the Wayne County Airport Authority’s Airport Special Investigations Unit went to gate A18 on June 7. The incoming flight had two of Campbell’s three bags on board.
Those two checked bags had “Woodrow Campbell” tags on them, and when they were offloaded from the plane, they were checked by a drug dog.
The drug dog indicated that there were drugs in the bags, so officials took those bags to a locked room.
Third bag seized
Campbell’s connecting flight to Saginaw was scheduled to depart at 4:15 p.m. July 7, and his third bag was scheduled to arrive at DTW from LAX around 2:30 p.m., officials said.
A judge approved a search warrant for all of Campbell’s bags, citing the drug dog’s indication, Campbell’s prior luggage abandonment, and the last-minute nature of the flight.
ASIU officials went to gate A29 when the second flight landed, and the same drug dog gave a positive indication for drugs in Campbell’s third checked bag, according to the criminal complaint.
Cocaine found in luggage
When officials searched Campbell’s checked bags, each had five compressed, rectangular bricks of cocaine, they said.
Each brick was wrapped in over-sized men’s clothing that would not have fit Campbell’s frame, authorities said.
In total, 15 kilograms of cocaine was seized, the complaint says.
Campbell arrested
Agents caught up to Campbell at the gate as he was boarding his flight to Saginaw.
He was arrested without incident, searched, and taken to the Wayne County Airport Authority police headquarters.
The criminal complaint concludes there’s probable cause that Campbell intentionally possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute.
