U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted four pounds of methamphetamine hydrochloride at Washington Dulles International Airport on July 10. The shipment was being mailed from Utah County, Utah, to Paris.
Officers detected the narcotics while inspecting a parcel that was manifested as a marble vase. Instead of a vase, officers discovered two packages wrapped in black cellophane tape. Each package contained a crystalline substance. Using a handheld elemental isotope analysis device, officers identified the substance as methamphetamine hydrochloride.
The methamphetamine weighed 1.87 kilograms, which is slightly more than four pounds. The street value of the seized drugs in the United States is approximately $40,000. No arrests have been made, and an investigation continues.
CBP Area Port Director Christine Waugh of the Area Port of Washington, D.C., stated that it is rewarding when diligent efforts result in the seizure of dangerous drugs like this crystal meth. She noted that intercepting illicit narcotics shipped through ports of entry remains an enforcement priority for the agency to help keep Americans and allies safe.
During a typical day last year, CBP officers and agents across the country seized 1,598 pounds of drugs, including 465 pounds of methamphetamine.
