SC Port & Airport Federal Interdiction — Charleston, CHS, GSP, MYR, CAE

Last verified: May 2026

Port of Charleston — CBP Cannabis Interdiction

The Port of Charleston, operated by the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), handles substantial container, bulk-cargo, and roll-on/roll-off traffic and ranks consistently among the busiest U.S. East Coast container ports. The principal cannabis-related federal-enforcement actors at the port:

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): import-cargo inspection, K-9 deployment, container x-ray.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Homeland Security Investigations (HSI): investigations on suspected international trafficking.
• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division: federal narcotics jurisdiction.
• SLED: state-law-enforcement coordination on cargo diversion.
• Charleston County Sheriff and Charleston Police: local backstop for arrests.

Common International Cannabis Cases at Charleston Port

• Concealed-cargo container shipments: cannabis, hash, and concentrate hidden in legitimate-cargo containers from international ports.
• Bulk-quantity hash shipments: from production regions through transshipment hubs to U.S. East Coast distribution.
• Marine-vessel crew possession: small-quantity possession by international crew members.
• Vehicle-export cannabis-residue: cars headed for export with cannabis residue triggering CBP K-9 alert.

International maritime cannabis-trafficking cases routed through Charleston are prosecuted federally in the District of South Carolina (Charleston Division). Convictions generate substantial federal-prison exposure plus civil-forfeiture of vessels, cargo, and proceeds.

Charleston International Airport (CHS)

Charleston International (CHS) is co-located with Joint Base Charleston in North Charleston. Annual passenger throughput exceeds 5 million. Cannabis enforcement reality at CHS:

• TSA screening: TSA officers screen for aviation-security threats. If cannabis is encountered during screening, TSA refers the matter to law enforcement (Charleston County Sheriff or Charleston Police, with federal coordination as applicable).
• K-9 deployment: federal and local K-9 units operate at the airport.
• Joint Base Charleston federal jurisdiction: cannabis discovered on the federal-installation side of CHS subjects the holder to additional federal-enforcement risk.
• Out-of-state passengers: travelers arriving from adult-use states (NJ, NY, MA, VA, MD, WA, CO, CA) carrying cannabis face SC state and federal exposure.

Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP)

GSP serves the Upstate region (Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson). Annual passenger throughput approaches 3 million. GSP’s federal-jurisdiction posture matches all U.S. commercial airports: TSA screening, federal cannabis prohibition, K-9 deployment. Greenville County Sheriff and Spartanburg County Sheriff coordinate local-enforcement response.

Myrtle Beach International (MYR)

MYR serves the Grand Strand tourism region. Annual passenger throughput approaches 4 million, heavily seasonal (summer-peak). Cannabis-discovered cases at MYR generate Horry County Sheriff response. The Grand Strand tourism-economy combined with substantial out-of-state visitor traffic produces high MYR cannabis-encounter volume.

Columbia Metropolitan (CAE)

CAE serves the Midlands and the state-government workforce. Annual passenger throughput approaches 1.2 million. CAE federal-airport posture mirrors CHS, GSP, and MYR. Richland County Sheriff coordinates local-enforcement response.

What TSA Actually Does With Cannabis

TSA’s mission is aviation-security threats. Cannabis is not specifically a TSA priority. TSA’s standard procedure when cannabis is discovered during screening:

1. TSA refers the discovery to airport law enforcement (local sheriff or police).
2. Law enforcement decides whether to arrest, cite, or release.
3. Federal-jurisdiction overlay applies (any commercial airport is in federal jurisdiction).

In practice, TSA referrals lead to varied outcomes depending on the airport, the local sheriff’s policies, the quantity, and the form (flower vs concentrate vs edible). Concentrate quantities routinely trigger SC Class C felony exposure regardless.

Out-of-State Air Travel Reality

• Inbound from adult-use states: cannabis purchased lawfully in CA, CO, WA, NJ, MA, NY, VA, MD remains federal-illegal in air transport. Discovery at CHS / GSP / MYR / CAE generates SC state and federal exposure.
• Concentrate-form vape cartridges: routinely the form discovered. SC Class C felony exposure for any-quantity concentrate.
• Edibles: federal exposure even for low-dose edibles in original packaging.
• Out-of-state medical-card holders: SC has no medical program. Out-of-state medical cards are not recognized.

International Travel from SC Airports

CHS handles limited direct international flights. International travelers face additional CBP-import inspection on return. Cannabis import/export is a separate federal crime from possession; international cannabis transport produces severe federal-prosecution exposure plus permanent immigration consequences for non-citizen travelers and CBP “lookout” flags for U.S. citizens.

Practical Air-Traveler Notes

• Do not transport cannabis through SC airports. Federal felony plus SC state exposure plus concentrate Class C felony exposure.
• Concentrate vape cartridges are the form most often discovered and produce the most severe SC exposure.
• Out-of-state medical cards have no SC effect.
• If discovered: decline consent, decline questioning beyond identification, get counsel before any statement.

Practical Port-Worker Notes

Charleston port workers (longshoremen, terminal-operations, logistics) operate under DOT and federal-contractor drug-testing regimes. Federal-installation employer drug-testing policies are categorical regardless of the April 28, 2026 Schedule III rescheduling. See federal-installations workplace page.

Related on this site: EBCI Great Smoky Cannabis Co., SC I-95 / I-26 / I-77 Drug Interdiction, SC Cross-Border Maryland.