Mexican woman “detained” at Los Angeles Airport for a bottle of chili, suspected of drug trafficking

TikTok has become the preferred platform for millions of internet users, who share comedy clips, beauty tips, life experiences, and more every day. In this context, a Mexican woman became viral on the Chinese social network after revealing that she was detained at Los Angeles International Airport, California, for attempting to transport a famous Mexican product into US territory; it was a bottle of Tajín chili powder, which is popular in the country for seasoning snacks.

The internet user, identified as @erika._miranda, shared the tense moments she experienced at Los Angeles Airport after a security guard inspected her belongings and accused her of carrying drugs. The young woman showed that the supposed “cocaine” was actually a bottle of Tajín chili powder. In the video, the officer is seen conducting anti-drug tests on the product while the woman looks at the camera and laughs at the experience she is going through.

In the footage shared by Erika, it can be seen that airport police conducted various tests on the chili powder. The officer in charge of inspecting the product placed a sample of Tajín on a metal table and inspected it using different techniques to identify if there was any type of drug, such as cocaine, which usually enters US territory hidden among passengers’ belongings. In the clip, the woman took the situation with humor and did not succumb to fear.

Throughout the video, Erika did not let the airport officer’s doubts intimidate her. She took the situation in stride and joked with other people in the waiting area. Likewise, when sharing the video, the protagonist wrote, “Tell me you’re Mexican without telling me you’re Mexican,” which elicited laughter from other internet users. The footage has garnered over half a million views, more than 35,000 likes, and nearly 700 comments.

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