CINCINNATI—On Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati intercepted a shipment containing over 11 pounds of illegal ketamine at a local express consignment facility.
Manifested as “anointing water,” the package came from Oron, Nigeria, and was destined to Victoria, Australia. Officers opened the shipment and found multiple small bottles of clear liquid labeled as “spring water.” Officers tested the liquid with a handheld elemental isotope analysis tool called the GeminiTM, which identified the substance as ketamine hydrochloride.
Like many anesthetics ketamine has legitimate medical uses, but it is often misused for its hallucinogenic and sedating effects. Ketamine abuse typically occurs at raves and nightclubs and is a commonly used to facilitate sexual assault crimes. A structural analog of phencyclidine (PCP), ketamine distorts perceptions, causes temporary paralysis and dangerously slowed breathing, and overdose can be deadly by shutting down bodily systems leading to cardiac or respiratory failure. It is a Schedule III non-narcotic drug regulated under the Controlled Substances Act.
“This is the largest seizure of ketamine the Port of Cincinnati has had in the past year,” said Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie. “Our current health and safety concerns have not detracted from our vigilance against bad actors who are trying to send illicit substances into and through the United States. Our officers and specialists have exceptional training to recognize and intercept a vast array of potentially dangerous or illegal products and will continue their mission to protect and serve.”
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.