U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Norfolk, Virginia, discovered fentanyl powder during a routine inspection of vehicles in an export container on November 8. The container, containing three older Toyota sedans, was being shipped from Prince George’s County, Maryland to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The officers found a white powdery substance mixed with personal effects and the vehicles. Using a handheld elemental isotope analysis tool, they identified the substance as fentanyl hydrochloride. The seized fentanyl weighed 117.8 grams.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be up to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. It is prescribed for pain management but illegally manufactured versions contain dangerous chemicals. A dose as small as two milligrams can be lethal.
"This seizure illustrates how quickly a routine examination can turn potentially deadly for Customs and Border Protection officers on our nation’s frontlines," said Mark Laria, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Norfolk-Newport News. "This may be a small amount of fentanyl, but it doesn’t take much of this very dangerous synthetic opioid to seriously injure or kill an unsuspecting CBP officer, seaport longshoreman, vessel seaman, or truck driver who may be accidentally exposed to it while just doing their jobs."
CBP seized the fentanyl and an investigation is ongoing.
CBP plays a crucial role in protecting Americans by combating fentanyl and other synthetic opioids at the nation's borders. Last year alone, CBP officers and agents seized an average of 2,339 pounds of drugs daily across the country, including 78 pounds of fentanyl.
The agency's border security mission is led by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations at Ports of Entry. They screen international travelers and cargo for illicit narcotics and other harmful products that could threaten public safety or economic vitality.
For more information about CBP's efforts against illegal substances like fentanyl or to view enforcement statistics from last year, visit www.cbp.gov/fentanyl.
Follow updates from the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore or on Instagram at @cbpfieldops.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is America's largest law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to safeguarding national security through innovation and collaboration.
