Justice / Federal Courts
Baltimore man indicted on charges of offering bribe to release kratom shipment
Federal prosecutors charged a Baltimore man with two counts of bribing a federal official over a held shipment of kratom.
Source-checked story: attributed primary-source and published reporting; no on-location reporting.
Zen Aljufri, 61, of Baltimore, was charged with two counts of bribing a federal official, according to a statement released Friday, Nov. 6, by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, CBS Baltimore reported.
The charges stem from an alleged attempt by Aljufri to offer a bribe to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to ensure that a shipment of "mitragyna speciosa," also known as kratom, could be released from a hold placed on it at a port of entry, according to the report.
CBP said the shipment was placed on hold because kratom is included in the FDA's "Red List" of substances that are subject to detainment at ports of entry.
"According to the indictment, Aljufri corruptly offered to pay a CBP officer to release goods from a hold at a port of entry," the CBP statement said. The investigation involved CBP's Baltimore Field Office.
If convicted, Aljufri faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for each count, CBP said.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- Federal prosecutors charged a Baltimore man with two counts of bribing a federal official over a held shipment of kratom.
What we don't know
- Whether Aljufri has entered a plea or has an attorney.
The source record