A 32-year-old Chinese citizen was recently sentenced to 27 months in prison, according to authorities, months after being convicted of drug charges for 207 pounds of marijuana discovered in his van.
Wenjian Zhuo’s defense claimed that he had no idea that the crates he was contracted to transport hundreds of miles to New York City contained marijuana, but the jury found him guilty following a two-day trial.
According to court filings, Border Patrol stopped Zhuo on January 22, 2025, after noticing him driving strangely and examined the boxes after detecting an “overwhelming” odor of marijuana emanating from his truck.
Marijuana sales and possession are legal in New York and in Canada. However, it remains illegal on the federal level, and transporting any amount of marijuana across the border is prohibited.
In addition, just three ounces of marijuana are authorized for personal use in New York; Zhuo possessed more than 1,000 times that quantity, according to court filings.
“This sentencing sends a clear message to those attempting to traffic illegal marijuana across our border that their actions have consequences,” said Farhana Islam, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New York Enforcement Division.
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