Northridge Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Meth-Caked Clothes – Including a Cow Pajama Onesie – in Suitcases Checked at LAX

LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for possessing two suitcases containing more than a dozen clothing items – including a cow pajama onesie – caked in methamphetamine while preparing to board a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Australia late last year.       

Raj Matharu, 31, of Northridge, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He remains free on $10,000 bond. 

According to his plea agreement, on November 6, 2024, Matharu attempted to travel from Los Angeles to Sydney via airplane. He carried with him two suitcases filled with clothing that had been coated with nearly 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds) of methamphetamine. After arriving at LAX, Matharu tried to check his bags but was told they were overweight. He then opened both his suitcases and transferred contents from one to the other, all of which was captured by airport surveillance cameras. He then successfully checked his luggage containing the meth-soaked clothes.

X-ray screening revealed abnormalities in Matharu’s suitcases, and they were flagged for secondary review. Officers inspected one suitcase and felt stiff clothing. A K9 unit was called, and Matharu was intercepted by officers after he crossed the jet bridge to board his Australia-bound flight. He was brought to the screening area, where he confirmed the two bags were his and that he packed them himself.

Officers opened the bags in front of Matharu, where they found stiffly dried white clothing caked in a powdery substance, as well as loose white residue on the lining and throughout both cases, all of which tested positive for methamphetamine. Further extraction of the substance from six of a total of 17 items in the suitcases and additional laboratory testing revealed that those items contained nearly 1.1 kilograms of methamphetamine. 

Matharu admitted in his plea agreement that, at the time he possessed the suitcases, he knew he was transporting methamphetamine or some other federally controlled substance and that he intended to distribute it in Australia.

United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled an October 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Matharu will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. United States Customs and Border Protection provided assistance.    

Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas G. Purcell of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.