NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – An Alabama man was arrested at Nashville International Airport on Monday after police found 11 pounds of fentanyl in his luggage.
According to an arrest affidavit, officers with the Nashville International Airport Police Department approached 22-year-old Michael Chandler of Alabama, and asked for consent to search his luggage after a K9 detected an odor of fentanyl coming from his bag. Officers also asked for Chandler’s identification and discovered the name on the bag tag did not match the name he provided.
Police searched the bag and found 11 pounds of blue M30 pills, which are consistent with counterfeit pills that are actually fentanyl. The pills are known to regularly cause overdose deaths, according to police.
The affidavit said as officers searched the bag, Chandler said he didn’t pack the luggage and that he must have grabbed the wrong bag. Police later discovered Chandler never actually flew into BNA.
Chandler was arrested for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and taken to the Metro Jail without incident. He is being held in lieu of a $150,000 bond, according to jail records.
Nashville International Airport issued the following statement regarding the arrest to News 2:
“Safety and security are our top priorities at BNA. Our officers in the Department of Public Safety are here 24 hours a day, throughout the year to ensure our passengers and business partners are welcomed to a safe and secure airport. By upholding the law, we offer our visitors the best experience possible. We are proud of our K-9 officer Havoc and the ongoing efforts to protect BNA.“