Big drug bust at small Michigan airport

Associated Press

Sandusky -- A U.S. border agent piloting a Black Hawk helicopter interrupted a million-dollar drug deal at a remote Michigan airport, leading to the arrest of two Canadians who remained jailed Monday. Another smuggler escaped in a Cessna airplane.

Matthew Moody, 32, and Jesse Rusenstrom, 20, both from the Windsor area, met the pilot on the runway of the Sandusky airport Friday night and loaded the drugs into a Toyota SUV, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The small plane had landed in Michigan after crossing the U.S.-Canadian border.

Moody and Rusenstrom waived a detention hearing Monday and agreed to remain in custody while their case moves through federal court in Detroit.

Authorities said they were captured with help from a border agent, T.J. Emerick, who spotted the suspicious aircraft while flying a Black Hawk helicopter and used a spotlight to keep track of the SUV. The drug plane was just 500 feet above the ground at times.

"It's a huge ecstasy seizure, bigger than what we usually see," Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Pratt said.

There were at least 100 pounds of marijuana and possibly 500,000 ecstasy tablets worth $1 million to $2 million, the DEA said.

A message seeking comment was left with Moody's lawyer. The phone for Rusenstrom's lawyer was unanswered.

Joe Allen, manager of the Sandusky airport, about 90 miles northeast of Detroit, said it will consider a fence to prevent vehicles from meeting a plane on the runway.

"That's all we can do short of having 24-hour coverage," he said.