American detained in Russia identified as Kalob Wayne Byers

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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. 

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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.  

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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.