U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Philadelphia have intercepted five shipments containing a total of 57 pounds of ketamine hydrochloride, a substance classified as a Schedule III non-narcotic compound under the Controlled Substances Act. The seizures occurred recently, with the shipments originating from the Netherlands and Germany and destined for South Florida.
Ketamine, known on the street by names such as Special K, Donkey Dust, and Cat Killer, is legally used in human and veterinary medicine to induce sedation and relieve pain. However, it is often abused for its dissociative effects and has been linked to serious health risks including nausea, elevated heart rate, unconsciousness, convulsions, and respiratory failure.
On June 21, CBP officers inspected a parcel labeled as fishing rods from the Netherlands to Miami. Instead of fishing equipment, they found six small plastic buckets containing a white crystalline substance weighing nearly 28 pounds. Tests confirmed it was ketamine hydrochloride.
Later that week, CBP officers seized four more shipments from Germany. These parcels were falsely manifested as containing items like toys or picture frames but contained vacuum-sealed bags of ketamine concealed within them. In total, these shipments added up to an additional 29 pounds and two ounces of ketamine.
The combined 57 pounds of seized ketamine have an estimated street value of $1.5 million. An investigation into these shipments is ongoing.
"Ketamine is a very dangerous anesthetic that can seriously harm abusers and unsuspecting victims," said Cleatus P. Hunt Jr., Area Port Director for CBP’s Area Port of Philadelphia. "It’s an illicit drug that Customs and Border Protection officers take immense pleasure at intercepting before it can reach our communities."
CBP officers seize an average of 1,571 pounds of drugs daily at various ports across the nation. Their mission includes screening international travelers and cargo to prevent illicit narcotics and other harmful products from entering the United States.
For further information about CBP's activities or to follow updates from their Baltimore Field Office on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, visit www.CBP.gov.
