Russia on Saturday published images of a US man that its customs officers arrested a day earlier at a Moscow airport for allegedly travelling with gummy candy laced with cannabis derivatives.

Russian media said a day earlier that a 28-year-old American was detained at Vnukovo airport after flying in from Istanbul.

The arrest came after a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington, and after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone about settling the Ukraine conflict.

The press service of the Russian court system published a video on Telegram of a bearded young man in a white shirt behind bars.

The court service named him as “Calob Wayne Bayers”, according to a transliteration from Cyrillic.

“While passing customs, one of his suitcases drew the attention of a service dog,” the state TASS news agency reported Friday, citing Russia’s Federal Customs Service.

“During the customs search, inspectors found two plastic jars and a zip-bag with the candy in it. Chemical analysis showed narcotic substances of the cannabinoid group in it.”

State media reported the man said the sweets were prescribed by a US doctor and that he needed them for travelling.

In 2022, Russia arrested US basketball player Brittney Griner at a Moscow airport for carrying medicinal cannabis, which she said was prescribed by a US doctor.

She was later exchanged for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russia holds several US citizens in detention, including ballerina Ksenia Karelina, retired English teacher Stephen Hubbard and former US marine Robert Gilman.

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