U.S. Presses Offer to Free Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan From Russian Detention - WSJ

The U.S. offered to release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in order to secure the freedom of Ms. Griner and Mr. Whelan, according to people familiar with the matter. 

Hey everyone, if the US has some folks that you want sprung, just take a few hostages! They fold every time.

Also of note, the hashish oil that Griner was busted with is a Schedule I narcotic. So she’d be criminally liable if she was caught with it in a US airport, too.