Victor Kwesi Mensah was 28 when he was detained at Washington Dulles International Airport. CBP officers had found a cache of psychedelic narcotics, including LSD and psilocybin in Mensah’s baggage. Mensah’s stage name is Vic Mensa, which is his rapper stage name.

CBP released a press release saying that Mensah boarded a flight to Ghana from Ghana on Saturday morning. His baggage was rechecked for unknown reasons. During a secondary baggage examination, CBP officers discovered about 41 grams of liquid lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), about 124 grams of psilocybin capsules, 178 grams of psilocybin gummies, and six grams of psilocybin mushrooms concealed inside Mensah’s luggage.

Mensah’s father and extended family are from Ghana, and the artist frequently zig-zags between Africa and Chicago, among other places.

Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority police officers alerted Mensah and arrested him with felony narcotics possess charges. Mensah was immediately taken into police custody and the drugs were seized by MWAA officers.

CBP officers urged travelers to discard their drug possessions before they entered the airport. “Travelers can save themselves time and potential criminal charges during their international arrivals inspection if they took a few minutes to ensure that their luggage is drug free,” said Daniel Escobedo, who serves as Area Port Director for CBP’s Area Port of Washington, D.C. “Narcotics interdiction remains a Customs and Border Protection enforcement priority and we remain committed to working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that those who transport illegal narcotics into the United States are investigated and prosecuted.”

While traveling with cannabis on domestic flights is one thing—carrying any sort of drugs on an international flight is a more serious matter. Let it be known, however, that the Psilo psilocybin mushroom cubes found in Mensah’s stash contain only microdoses of psilocybin with 0.14g of psilocybin per piece—which isn’t exactly enough to send a person into a trip. The effects of psilocybin gummi can only be described as a slight mood alteration. Other products that he had in his possession included microdoses.

Given that he was caught with the drugs in microdoses, it’s quite possible he was using psychedelics for medical reasons. A study that was published in the journal “Psychedelics” months ago. NaturePeople who took microdoses of psilocybin had lower levels for depression, anxiety, and stress. As it turns out, Mensah himself opened up about his battles with depression and drug addiction in his 2018 song “10K Problems.” 

Mensah recently branched out from his hip-hop roots to form  punk rock and rap band named 93Punx, which released an ICE protest song as well as another single with Travis Barker. He might soon be paying the price for his legal problems. But recently, he enlisted Chance the Rapper and Wyclef Jean for the track “Shelter.”

Don’t test the CBP when it comes to drugs, especially if it’s an international flight.

CBP agents processed 650,000 passengers last year on an average. They handled travelers arriving at land, seaports, and airports. CBP agents and officers arrest an average 25 wanted criminals daily at U.S. ports-of-entry. Find out more about what CBP has done in 2021.

Visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about what types of items were seized by CBP’s Office of Field Operations.

Psilocybin is legal for medical use decriminalized in the state of Oregon—the first state to legalize the psychedelic for medical purposes when voters approved Measure 109 in 2020. Six additional states have also decriminalized the use of psilocybin mushrooms in their cities.

The country is making decriminalization efforts to legalize LSD, and other psychedelics. Already, several major U.S. cities are moving forward. California Senate Bill 519, for instance, would decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms and LSD—as well as DMT, mescaline and MDMA.