Wednesday August 4, 2010

ATLANTA (AP) -- Two California men face drug charges after authorities say they flew 75 pounds of marijuana into Georgia, where they planned to sell it.

Authorities say 42-year-old Igor Goldenshtein of Los Angeles and 36-year-old Edward Akselrod of Tarzana, Calif., were arraigned Wednesday on charges of conspiracy and possession of less than 50 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents got a tip on July 19 that a small plane had taken off from Hawthorne Municipal Airport outside Los Angeles with a load of marijuana bound for Peachtree-DeKalb Airport outside Atlanta.

Agents in Georgia watched the plane piloted by Goldenshtein arrive and then saw Akselrod drive up to help unload bags. Agents stopped Akselrod's vehicle and found the individually packaged bags of marijuana.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)