Woman Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Found in Her Suitcases at Airport

Woman Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Found in Her Suitcases at Airport

Prosecution Part of Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

LAS VEGAS - A Las Vegas woman made her initial appearance in federal court yesterday for allegedly travelling with packages of methamphetamine found in her suitcases at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

"The indictment returned by the federal grand jury underscores our unwavering commitment to keeping lethal narcotics out of our communities and disrupting the supply chains that profit from addiction," said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. "Thanks to the vigilance of our partners at the Transportation Security Administration approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine were intercepted before they could reach their destination. Airports are hubs for commerce and travel, not conduits for illicit drug trafficking. We will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those who attempt to exploit our transportation networks to distribute poison into our neighborhoods."

"Drug traffickers who attempt to use commercial air travel to move dangerous narcotics through Las Vegas will be identified and held accountable," said Jonathan Sherwin, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Las Vegas. "The substantial quantity of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in this case posed a serious threat to public safety. Homeland Security Investigations will continue working with our law enforcement partners to stop illicit drugs before they reach our communities."

According to allegations in the indictment, on July 1, 2026, Tamya Norwood checked two suitcases at the Harry Reid International Airport. During screening, the Transportation Security Administration discovered packages containing nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in Norwood's suitcases.

Norwood is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. A jury trial is scheduled to begin December 14, 2026, before United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is lifetime imprisonment, and the mandatory minimum penalty is 10 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Steven Rose is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Control Board with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###