Tim Quinn Executive Director | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Philadelphia seized three parcels of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly mixed with fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. Xylazine does not respond to Narcan.
The most recent parcel was intercepted on Thursday after arriving from Spain. It was labeled as “mica powder for makeup” but contained a white powder that tested positive for xylazine hydrochloride. The package weighed 1.04 kilograms.
On September 16, CBP officers seized another parcel containing 1.02 kilograms of xylazine, and on September 5, they intercepted a third parcel weighing 1.075 kilograms. All shipments originated from Spain and were destined for addresses in Philadelphia. The total weight of the three seizures was approximately 3.135 kilograms.
An investigation is ongoing.
Xylazine is used by veterinarians as a sedative for large animals but is increasingly found mixed with opioids like fentanyl and heroin, often leading to fatal overdoses. Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have issued warnings about the growing threat posed by xylazine, also known as “tranq.” Unlike narcotics, xylazine does not respond to Narcan, a medication that helps prevent opioid overdose deaths.
Authorities are concerned about the low cost of xylazine; according to the DEA, it can be purchased online from Chinese suppliers for up to $20 per kilogram.
“Customs and Border Protection officers know the challenges our country faces in protecting our citizens from the deadly threats posed by dangerous drugs trafficked by transnational criminal organizations, including dangerous synthetics like xylazine, and from fentanyl and fentanyl precursors,” said Adam Streetman, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “CBP remains committed to intercepting this poison at our nation’s borders and ports of entry.”
CBP officers and agents seize an average of 2,339 pounds of drugs daily at various points of entry across the United States.
Learn more at www.CBP.gov.
Follow @DFOBaltimore on Twitter for updates from CBP’s Baltimore Field Office.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's largest law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to securing borders on land, air, and sea while facilitating lawful travel and trade.
