An Australian woman says she was offered a free vacation to San Francisco if she agreed to transport a suitcase containing 20 kilos of methamphetamine.
25-year-old Yasmin VanTongeren is being held in San Mateo County after being arrested on February 11 at San Francisco International Airport. Vantongeren's checked luggage was found to have approximately 44 pounds, or 20 kilos, of suspected meth in a suitcase, separated into 20 sealed packages.
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe announced the arrest and charges filed against Vantongeren, which include transporting a controlled substance for sale and possession of a controlled substance for sale. She is being held without bail by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
According to the DA, VanTongeren says that an Australian friend offered her a "paid vacation" to California, as well as a cash payment of $10,000 to $15,000, if she agreed to transport a suitcase back to Brisbane.
Yasmin Van Tongeren,25,of Australia, held by @SMCSheriff,charged by @SanMateoCoDA w/possession for sale after allegedly trying to return Down Under w/21 kilos of meth in her checked luggage at @flySFO. She said Aussie pal offered her paid U.S. vacay to transport suitcase. No bail pic.twitter.com/AtpX0solaf
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) February 14, 2025
It's unclear why VanTongeren was tagged as a possible drug trafficker — or if her suitcase was sniffed out by K9s behind the scenes? — but she had apparently traveled through Los Angeles, where she told authorities she was handed a suitcase with a lock on it by a "random person." She was heading for a flight from SFO to Brisbane when she was detained.
VanTongeren allegedly told police at SFO that she had packed the suitcase herself, but this was before she was told what they had found inside.
She is scheduled back in court next Thursday.
