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  4. CBP Officers at Miami International Airport Seize Ketamine Concealed Within Bottles

CBP Officers at Miami International Airport Seize Ketamine Concealed Within Bottles

Release Date
Tue, 12/15/2020

MIAMI – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Miami International Airport (MIA) seized bottles containing nearly eight pounds of ketamine from two travelers arriving from Ecuador on Dec 7.
 
CBP officers discovered 7.95 pounds of ketamine concealed within bottles of pills and creams during a secondary baggage examination. CBP turned the individuals over to the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD).CBP safeguards America's borders
 
“This seizure is the latest example of the vigilance and dedication of CBP personnel and our network of law enforcement partners,” said Robert Del Toro, CBP’s Acting Port Director at Miami International Airport. “Stemming the flow of drugs into Florida helps keep our children safe. Ketamine should only be administered by a medical professional and has no business in the hands of anyone other than medical professionals.”
 
Ketamine, along with the other “club drugs,” has become popular among teens and young adults at dance clubs and raves. According to the DEA, ketamine is a Schedule III non-narcotic drug regulated under the Controlled Substances Act. It delivers hallucinogenic effects and is sometimes used to facilitate sexual assault crimes. Ketamine can induce a state of sedation, immobility, relief from pain, and amnesia as the user may have no memory of events while under the influence. Ketamine also distorts perceptions, causes temporary paralysis and dangerously slows breathing, potentially shutting down body systems and leading to cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.
 
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. CBP officers screen international travelers and cargo and search for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.
 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations in Florida include travel and trade facilitation and securing over 1,200 miles of the coastal border. Add @CBPPortDirMia, @DFOFlorida and @CBPFlorida on Twitter for news and information updates.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021