CBP officers seize 70 pounds of dangerous synthetic drugs at Dulles Airport
WASHINGTON - Just over 70 pounds of a Chinese-made drug that has effects similar to amphetamines was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Officers discovered the two boxes, which were labeled as beauty products from China and were destined for an address in D.C., on June 26. After taking a closer look at the shipment, the officers discovered multiple vacuum-sealed bags that contained a white, crystallized substance that was tested and later determined to be drugs.
They turned the load over to special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further investigation.
Officials say the drug was a newer cathinone analogue — N,N-Dimethylpentylone Hydrochloride — which is a Schedule I controlled substance that causes psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects similar to cocaine and amphetamines.
These types of drugs have been reported to cause adverse health effects, such as high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, hyperthermia, dehydration, arrhythmias, hallucinations, loss of consciousness and death.
They have been being sold in powder and tablet form on the streets as ecstasy or "Molly" ever since authorities initially identified it in the United States during the Fall of 2021.
These synthetic stimulants are being produced at clandestine labs across the globe in the hopes of slipping the new substances past law enforcement before authorities can identify them "but U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were up to that challenge," the agency wrote in a statement.
"The synthetic stimulant market tries to stay one step ahead of law enforcement by continually tweaking cathinone’s chemical compounds to create new, yet still dangerous, analogues. Customs and Border Protection officers remain committed to protecting our communities by detecting these new illicit psychoactive stimulants and working with our federal, state, and local partners to hold importers accountable," said Christine Waugh, acting area port director for Washington, D.C.
Featured
Brussels sprouts shipment turns into $4.3M drug bust, border patrol says
A tractor-trailer meant to be shipping Brussels sprouts was found to have millions of dollars worth of meth hiding inside of it, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.