BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A California man was arrested April 18 at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport after authorities said they found 24 pounds of marijuana in his suitcase.
Christian Machado, 22, of Fresno, Calif., was charged with trafficking marijuana and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
The marijuana, seized from Machado’s luggage, has an estimated street value of about $60,000, based on average prices of $2,500 per pound in the illicit market.
While marijuana is legal for recreational or medical use in more than half the United States, Alabama continues to enforce strict prohibition. In many states, possessing a similar amount would be a civil offense or regulated business transaction. In Birmingham, Machado now faces a felony charge and a bond that could buy a large home anywhere in Alabama.
The stark contrast in marijuana laws across state lines highlights the ongoing national debate over cannabis policy. For some, Machado’s arrest and high bond underscore the lingering consequences of prohibition in the South, even as the legal landscape rapidly changes elsewhere.