Russia detains another US citizen on drugs charges days after swap, reports say

Russia detains US citizen

Photo: The Canadian Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev during their meeting via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Russia has detained another U.S. citizen, after customs officials found cannabis-laced marmalade in his luggage, Russian media said Friday, days after a Moscow-Washington prisoner swap that the White House called a diplomatic thaw and a step toward ending the fighting in Ukraine.

Russian police said the 28-year-old American had attempted to smuggle a “significant amount” of drugs into the country, the Interfax agency reported, citing Russia’s Federal Customs Service. The agency said the American was detained at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after flying in from Istanbul last Friday.

Mash, a Russian Telegram channel with links to the security services, said the U.S. citizen, identified only as K. Byers, faced up to seven years in prison if convicted.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department.

The Washington-Moscow prisoner exchange this month saw Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cryptocurrency expert who faced Bitcoin fraud charges in the United States, returned to Russia after being freed for American Marc Fogel, a teacher from Pennsylvania who was detained in 2021 when traveling to Russia to work at a school.

Fogel had been serving a 14-year sentence for having with what his family and supporters said was medically prescribed marijuana. President Joe Biden’s administration designated Fogel as wrongfully detained in December.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday upended three years of U.S. policy toward Ukraine, saying he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the conflict following a lengthy direct phone call.