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Russia frees US citizen detained on drug smuggling charges ahead of talks between Moscow, Washington

A U.S. citizen arrested in Russia earlier this month on drug smuggling charges has been released from Russian custody.

Kalob Wayne Byers, 28, was detained on Feb. 7 at the Vnukovo airport in Moscow after cannabis-laced marmalade was allegedly found in his luggage by customs officials. Byers was traveling from Istanbul with his Russian fiancée, who was also taken into custody.

It was not immediately clear whether Byers’ fiancée, identified by Russian media as Naida Mambetova, was also released. She was placed in pre-trial detention on the same charges.

Russian authorities said Byers had attempted to smuggle a “significant amount” of drugs into the country. He was taken into custody on drug smuggling charges, punishable by up to a decade in prison.

AMERICAN DETAINED IN RUSSIA IDENTIFIED AS KALOB WAYNE BYERS

Kalob Byers, 28, was detained in Russia on Feb. 7 on drug smuggling charges. (Moscow City Court’s Press Office/Reuters)

Byers, now freed from Russian custody, is staying in the U.S. embassy in Moscow as he awaits a flight home, his parents wrote on social media, according to Russian independent news outlet Meduza. A U.S. official confirmed that Byers was released to the embassy late on Sunday evening, according to The Associated Press.

Russia freeing Byers appears to be part of an effort to ease tensions between Moscow and Washington ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

When asked about Byers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Moscow expects “to discuss restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations” at the Saudi Arabia meeting “so certain events can be viewed in this context.”

Tensions between the two countries had already begun to soften in recent weeks.

A U.S. citizen arrested in Russia earlier this month on drug smuggling charges has been released ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia between Moscow and Washington. (Contributor/Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Last week, President Donald Trump upended three years of U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia, stating that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war.

Americans being arrested in Russia has become increasingly common in recent years, as relations between Moscow and Washington have soured because of Russia’s war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

Some Americans have been released in prisoner exchanges, including Marc Fogel, a teacher from Pennsylvania who was jailed in Russia on drug charges. He was freed last week.

US CITIZEN ALLEGEDLY CARRYING CANNABIS DETAINED IN MOSCOW, CHARGED WITH NARCOTICS SMUGGLING: RUSSIAN MEDIA

Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, left, was swapped for American teacher Marc Fogel, right. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Fogel was detained at a Russian airport in August 2021 when traveling to work at a school in Moscow. He was sentenced to 14 years behind bars for possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana.

He was released and flown back to the U.S. earlier this month in an exchange that included returning Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cryptocurrency expert who faced Bitcoin fraud charges in the U.S., to Russia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

February 18, 2025
Kalob Wayne Byers identified as American detained in Russia

Kalob Wayne Byers was identified as the American citizen taken into custody in Russia on a drug smuggling charge, according to media reports.

The 28-year-old was detained at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Feb. 7 after a K-9 with the Russian Federal Customs Service detected something in his luggage, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

Byers will remain in custody for 30 days, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the Moscow City Court’s Press Office. It released an image Saturday purportedly showing Byers behind bars as he appeared by video link at a court hearing.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday by Fox News Digital.

UKRAINE BLAMES RUSSIA FOR DRONE ATTACK ON CHERNOBYL’S PROTECTIVE SHELL

U.S. citizen, Kalob Wayne Byers, detained on suspicion of drug smuggling, appears on a screen in the courthouse during a video link to a court hearing in Moscow, Russia on Feb. 15. (Moscow City Court’s Press Office/Reuters)

Byers was allegedly carrying cannabis gummies at the time of his detention.

He has been charged with smuggling narcotic drugs into the country and could face up to 10 years in prison, TASS reported.

TRUMP’S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST REVEALS HOW THE US SECURED MARC FOGEL’S RELEASE

Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, left, was swapped for American Marc Fogel this week. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images/Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“A chemical analysis revealed the presence of narcotic substances from the cannabinoid group,” the customs service reported, according to TASS, adding the man claimed his U.S. doctor had prescribed the gummies.

News of Byers’ detention comes as Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen who was detained on drug charges in Russia four years ago, was released on Tuesday in exchange for Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, who had been detained by the U.S. government on cryptocurrency fraud charges.

Released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel reacts after returning to American soil this week. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

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Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

February 15, 2025
US citizen carrying cannabis gummies detained in Moscow, charged with narcotics smuggling: Russia media

A U.S. citizen who was allegedly carrying cannabis gummies has been detained at an airport in Moscow, Russian media reported.

The 28-year-old American was detained at the Vnukovo Airport Feb. 7 after a K-9 with the Russian Federal Customs Service detected something in his luggage, Russia’s TASS news agency said.

He had arrived in Russia via Istanbul.

The U.S. State Department told Fox News Digital it is aware of reports of a citizen being detained and had no further comment.

FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY

A U.S. citizen who was allegedly carrying cannabis gummies has been detained at an airport in Moscow, Russian media has reported. (Contributor/Getty Images)

“A chemical analysis revealed the presence of narcotic substances from the cannabinoid group,” the customs service reported, according to TASS, adding the man claimed his U.S. doctor had prescribed the gummies.

He has been charged with smuggling narcotic drugs into the country and could face five up to 10 years in prison, TASS reported.

Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen who was detained on drug charges in Russia four years ago, was released on Tuesday in exchange for Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik, who had been detained by the U.S. government on cryptocurrency fraud charges.

Released American schoolteacher Marc Fogel reacts during an event held by President Donald Trump to welcome back Fogel, who had been held in Russia since 2021, at the White House Feb. 11, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Vogel’s plane landed safely in the U.S. Tuesday night.

Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, was serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.

In 2022, WNBA player Brittney Griner was released from Russia after she spent eight months in detainment for having vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis.

MOTHER OF FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL THANKS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: ‘HE KEPT HIS PROMISE’

WNBA player Brittney Griner was released from Russia in 2022 after she spent eight months in detainment for having vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)

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She was also detained at a Moscow airport as she returned to the country to play in a basketball league there.

February 15, 2025
American Ballerina ‘in transit’ after US says Russia wrongfully detained her

Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina, who was sentenced to 12 years in Russian prison after donating just over $50 to a Ukrainian charity in early 2024, is “in transit,” her boyfriend tells Fox News, a day after American Marc Fogel was released in a prisoner swap.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) informed Karelina’s family about the update, the ballerina’s boyfriend, Christopher Van Heerden told Fox News on Thursday.

While “in transit” is not a confirmation that Karelina is being released, it could mean Russia is moving her to a prison closer to Moscow, which is normally a precursor to release.

The news came during what Van Heerden described as an unusual nine-day gap in communication between Karelina and her mom, who had typically spoken on the phone every day since her incarceration.

FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY

Karelina was visiting family in Yekaterinberg in February 2024 when she was detained over allegations of treason after donating $51 to a Ukrainian organization that passed the money onto the country’s military.

Ksenia Karelina was detained in Russia in February 2024 on allegations of treason after donating $51 to a Ukrainian charity. (Christopher Van Heerden )

The State Department determined Karelina was “wrongfully detained” on Tuesday, the same day American teacher Marc Fogel was released after spending more than three years in a Russian prison.

The family of Ksenia Karelina was told she was “in transit,” her boyfriend, Christopher Van Heerden, told Fox News. (Christopher Van Heerden )

In exchange for Fogel’s freedom, a Trump administration official told Fox News that the U.S. is releasing Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik as part of the deal.

In this photo, Ksenia Karelina appears with her boyfriend, Christopher Van Heerden. The news about Karelina’s possible movement comes just days after American teacher Marc Fogel was freed in a prisoner swap with Russia. (Christopher Van Heerden )

AMERICAN BALLERINA LEFT OUT OF RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP PLEADS GUILTY TO TREASON: REPORT

While Van Heerden said that while he obviously can’t take the FSB at its word, he’s optimistic about Karelina’s return home, adding that President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler are all aware and focusing on Karelina’s case.

The State Department determined Karelina was “wrongfully detained” on Tuesday. (Christopher Van Heerden )

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“Movement is happening as we speak,” Van Heerden said.

Nick Kalman is a Senior Foreign Affairs Producer based in Washington, D.C.

February 13, 2025
Federal court blocks Trump admin from sending detained Venezuelan immigrants to Guantánamo Bay

A federal court on Sunday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from sending three Venezuelan immigrants held in New Mexico to the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp as part of the president’s efforts to remove illegal immigrants from the U.S.

Lawyers for the trio said in a legal filing that the detainees “fit the profile of those the administration has prioritized for detention in Guantánamo, i.e. Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso area with (false) charges of connections with the Tren de Aragua gang.”

In the filing, the lawyers asked a U.S. District Court in New Mexico for a temporary restraining order to block the administration from flying them to the U.S. military base. The lawyers noted that “the mere uncertainty the government has created surrounding the availability of legal process and counsel access is sufficient to authorize the modest injunction.”

TRUMP DEPORTING CRIMINAL ALIENS TO GUANTANAMO BAY: MEET THE HARDENED TERRORISTS THEY’LL JOIN

The Trump administration has begun flying detained illegal immigrants from the U.S. to Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, left, DOD via AP, right.)

Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales granted the temporary restraining order, according to attorney Jessica Vosburgh, who represents the three men.

“It’s short term. This will get revisited and further fleshed out in the weeks to come,” Vosburgh told The Associated Press.

The filing came as part of a lawsuit on behalf of the three men filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and Las Americas Immigrant Advisory Center.

FIRST 10 ‘HIGH THREAT’ ILLEGALS ARRIVE TO GUANTÁNAMO BAY ARE ALL TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS

A migrant prepares to board a flight to Guantánamo Bay. (Department of Homeland Security)

Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt separately said that flights carrying detained illegal immigrants had been sent to Guantánamo.

Immigrant rights groups sent a letter on Friday demanding access to people who are now being held at the U.S. naval station, arguing that the base should not be used as a “legal black hole.” Guantánamo has been criticized around the world for its inhumane abuse and torture of detainees, including interrogation tactics.

The immigrants are being held in the Guantánamo detention camp that was set up for detainees in the aftermath of 9/11. The immigrants are separated from the 15 detainees who were already there, including planners in the 2001 terrorist attack.

In this April 17, 2019, photo, reviewed by U.S. military officials, the control tower is seen through the razor wire inside the Camp VI detention facility in Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (AP)

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Trump has promised to expand the detention camp to hold up to 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”

Leavitt said Wednesday that more than 8,000 immigrants have been arrested since Jan. 20 as part of Trump’s plan to detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally, although hundreds of those arrested have since been released back into the U.S.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

February 10, 2025
West Virginia governor’s order leads to nearly 60 suspected illegal immigrant criminals detained

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that about five dozen people had been detained within a day of ordering cooperation between Charleston and federal immigration authorities.

By midday on Tuesday, 58 people in the Mountain State were detained within the Regional Jail system pending verification of their immigration status.

More detentions are likely imminent, Morrisey said as he repeatedly pledged his full support for President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown.

Morrisey, a Republican, and only two weeks into his term, promised a further update on his administration’s operations on Thursday, saying West Virginia has good reason to take every step possible to quash the crisis besides the fact these people are allegedly in the country illegally.

WV LAWMAKER ARRESTED AFTER THREATENING TO KILL ENTIRE REGION’S DELEGATION OVER CAUCUS BEEF

Virginia leads the nation in drug overdose deaths-per-capita, and Morrisey said illegal immigration and cartel smuggling play a key role in that crisis.

“To be clear, our numbers may be lower than others in terms of illegal immigrants… but I’ve repeatedly talked about the impact of having illegal immigrants [who] bring deadly fentanyl into the state — that’s flooding in from Mexico [with] raw ingredients coming from China.”

The West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources recorded 1,389 drug overdose deaths statewide in 2023, down slightly from their peak at 1,537 in 2021. In 2001, there were only 212 such drug-related deaths among its estimated 1.75 million people.

“You’re going to find a Morrisey administration very cooperative with the Trump administration… It’s important for West Virginia because we have to stop this senseless death,” the governor said.

TRUMP, GOP CELEBRATE JOE MANCHIN RETIREMENT

Travelers are greeted by a West Virginia welcome sign after crossing the East River Mountain Tunnel on I-77 in Princeton. (Charles Creitz)

Morrisey praised Trump and said what the White House is doing is “absolutely correct.”

“We will take all appropriate steps to protect our citizens and work with the Trump Administration to crack down on illegal immigration,” Morrisey said in a separate statement to Fox News Digital.

The move received praise from other state officials.

State Del. Wayne Clark, R-Charles Town, called it “good progress” on both the illegal immigration front and the quest to curb the state’s drug crisis.

Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins said some of his officers also provided support to recent ICE operations in what is West Virginia’s second-largest city.

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“As a general practice, we always try to accommodate requests for assistance from any of our law enforcement partners,” he told Wheeling’s CBS affiliate.

The Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation confirmed in a statement that it is detaining suspected illegal immigrant criminals in its facilities at the urging of federal agencies such as ICE and the FBI.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

January 29, 2025