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    Fighters Intercept Cessna Approaching Air Force One

    (Image Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

    SAN FRANCISCO - As Air Force One sat on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport this morning, the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to intercept a small private plane that had invaded the airspace.

    The disturbance occurred just minutes before President Obama was scheduled to depart for San Francisco. His plane ultimately took off at 11:40 a.m. PST without incident.

    The jets intercepted the general aviation plane - a Cessna 182 - just before 11:30 a.m. PST, according to a statement from NORAD.  It was soon forced to land at Long Beach Airport and  met by local law enforcement officials and the U.S. Secret Service, agency spokesman Brian Leary told ABC News.

    Agents interviewed the pilots before they were turned over to the Long Beach Police Department and arrested, an official said.

    "We determined the incursion of restricted airspace was of no protective interest," said Leary. In other words, no intended threat to the president.

    But the pilot was in possession of narcotics, the Secret Service said.

    One law enforcement source told ABC the plane was carrying 40 pounds of marijuana. Officials with the Long Beach Police Department did not immediately respond to ABC News' request to confirm the type or quantity of the drugs.

    President Obama landed in San Francisco after an uneventful one-hour flight at 12:40 p.m. PST. He is attending three fundraisers in the city before heading to Seattle on Friday.

    ABC News Pierre Thomas and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.

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    • David  •  Lafayette, Louisiana  •  3 mths ago
      Nothing ruins a mile high buzz worse than an F 16.
    • Hold My Drink  •  3 mths ago
      Lmao thinking of the look on the Cessna pilots face when he saw the F-16 fighters.
      • wicomico 3 mths ago
        Yea...I bet he was Squeezing out a serious BLUNT..Dammm!!
      • scott 3 mths ago
        They were allowed to wash up and change underware upon landing. lol
      • Skin-walker 3 mths ago
        I'd rather see see the look on Obama's face
    • Rollover Mikey  •  Port Lavaca, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      I bet the cockpit smelled of something stronger than pot when the pilot saw those f-16's
      • ROBERT 3 mths ago
        Crapped their undies.
      • Jevo 3 mths ago
        lol I can't imagine the fart and the pot smell
      • USAF Vet 3 mths ago
        had to throw out those shorts, I bet.
    • OldGoat  •  3 mths ago
      That is too funny. Two stoners bopping around with 40 pounds of weed onboard not only run into a cop, they run into friggin NORAD! So for you gamblers out there, what are the odds for a dust up between (1) one single-engine, propeller-driven Cessna piloted by Cheech and Chong, and (2) two F-16s piloted by career Air Force officers with an attitude? THEN, they get met on the ground by the SECRET SERVICE, also with an attitude. By the time they met up with LAPD they must have felt grateful to just have to deal with the local cops.
      • Wiz 3 mths ago
        Cheech and Chong would have escaped...
      • Djadu 3 mths ago
        Bet it looked like one of their movies where the smoke was so thick you couldn't see the occupants and it left a thick white cloud trailing behind it -
      • John H 3 mths ago
        Chong: "Hey maaaannnnn, I think I voted for that dude! You'd think he woulda been more greatfull maaaannnnn". Cheech: "I didn't know Ronald Reagan was a black dude!"
    • Get A CLUE  •  Santa Clara, California  •  3 mths ago
      Moral of the story, If you are going to do something illegal don’t do it in controlled air space where NORAD, The Secret Service, The FBI, The CIA, The US Military are vigilant!
      (Unless you are a Politian!)
      • john hunter 3 mths ago
        where was norad on 911?
      • J 3 mths ago
        What's a "Politian"?
      • USAF Vet 3 mths ago
        is that anything like a politician?
    • Raistlin  •  Plymouth, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      That really sucks for that drug dealer, what are the odds of flying into Air Force One's air space.
    • JB  •  3 mths ago
      F-16 pilot: Pull over!
      Cessna pilot: I am pulled over!
      F-16 pilot: Pull over!
      Cessna passenger: He's already pulled over, he can't pull over anymore!
    • An-dray-uh  •  3 mths ago
      What an idiot.
    • Dave  •  Jacksonville, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Imagine what they guys waiting for him thought if they saw him being escorted by the F-16's. Somehow, "Oh Chit." doesnt seem to cover it.
    • Allie  •  Madison, Alabama  •  3 mths ago
      The p[ilot was probably texting and lost his way....
    • Jessica  •  Houston, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      Guess they forgot to check the NOTAMS!......a must...... especially if your in possession of narcotics.
    • Old_School!  •  3 mths ago
      Cheech "Dude wat is dat outside da window of de plane?"
      Chong "Man, sum funkie lookin dude all dressed up in an alien lookin outfit in a space craft."
    • Joan  •  3 mths ago
      I can only imagine how this pilot felt when he looked over and saw these planes giving him a signal to land and with drugs on board to boot. He probably peed his pants a little.
    • Redwing  •  3 mths ago
      All around bad day for that pilot. I wonder how many years in prison you get for 40 pounds of weed.
    • robert d  •  Cleveland, Ohio  •  3 mths ago
      Bud Aire, an all natural flight
    • Stick Boy  •  3 mths ago
      Ahhh, the intelligence of drug dealers.
    • Troy  •  3 mths ago
      "Hey, I know a shortcut..."."....uh oh...I think were being followed"...
    • tmad890  •  Benton Harbor, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      Is it just me, or does this sound like a great script for the next Cheech and Chong Movie!! they can call it," Cheech and Chong, Still Smokin after all these years" and have to where they are flying a plane with 40 lbs of weed, forced to land by two F16's and then taken to see the prez where they smoke all the weed with him and go on a far out trip burning down with Obama.. that would be hilarious..
    • steve p  •  3 mths ago
      Yahoo's first article said that he was flying in Marine 1 (helicopter) and 22lbs of weed were found. Now he was on the ground in Air Force 1 (plane) and 40lbs of weed were found! And you wonder why America doesn't trust the media!
    • MichaelG  •  3 mths ago
      Mr Secret Sevice, my plane was at 25,000 Ft but I was flying at 50,000 feet. Got a lighter?
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