CINCINNATI—During the last half of September, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed in Cincinnati seized a total of 116 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at $3.7 million, from six separate shipments coming from Mexico. The packages were addressed to people in Georgia and Texas.
On September 16, narcotics detector dog “Bruno” alerted to a shipment containing 16 pounds of nutritional supplements. When officers tested the supplements they discovered they were methamphetamine. On September 21, officers took a closer look at a 17-pound shipment of seasonings containing foil packets of white powders and a bottle of unknown liquid. Both the white powder and the liquid tested positive for methamphetamine.
Officers found approximately 60 pounds of methamphetamine in two shipments of large spools of rope on the following day, and two days later narcotics detector dog “Otos” sniffed out 23 pounds of methamphetamine inside an air compressor. To round out the streak, officers found about ¾ pound of methamphetamine concealed in a bucket of food paste on September 29.
“By leveraging their training, technology, and our exceptional canine teams, our officers disrupted multiple narcotics smuggling networks,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. “We are committed to protecting our communities and ensuring legitimate cross-border trade continues to power the U.S. economy.”
Methamphetamine is a dangerous and highly addictive stimulant and its abuse can lead to aggression, psychosis, convulsions, stroke, and death. Methamphetamine abuse is on the rise in the U.S.—from 2017 to 2019, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) domestic seizures of methamphetamine increased 127 percent, and DEA arrests related to methamphetamine rose nearly 20 percent.
CBP conducts operations at ports of entry throughout the United States, and regularly screens arriving international passengers and cargo for narcotics, weapons, and other restricted or prohibited products. CBP strives to serve as the premier law enforcement agency enhancing the Nation’s safety, security, and prosperity through collaboration, innovation, and integration.