Philadelphia CBP officers intercept 57 pounds of Ketamine being shipped to South Florida

(WPHL) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have intercepted five shipments of ketamine hydrochloride being shipped through Philadelphia.

According to CBP, the five shipments contained a total of 57 pounds of ketamine hydrochloride, an animal anesthetic dangerously abused by users and sexual predators.

Ketamine Hydrochloride is a Schedule III non-narcotic compound regulated under the Controlled Substances Act.

Colloquially, it is known as Special K, Donkey Dust, and Cat Killer, and is smoked, snorted, or mixed in beverages.

The drug is primarily used to induce sedation, immobility, and relief from pain.

CBP says Ketamine is abused by users for its ability to induce dissociative sensations and hallucinations like those induced by phencyclidine (PCP).

Ketamine is also often used with other drugs such as ecstasy, and is often used at raves and dance clubs.

The drugs were intercepted on June 21, when a parcel labeled as fishing rods was being shipped from the Netherlands to Miami.

When officers inspected the package, they found a white crystalline substance inside six small plastic buckets in the parcel weighing 12.69 kilograms, or just shy of 28 pounds.

On June 27, officers intercepted four shipments that arrived from Germany supposedly containing toys, replacement rollers, or picture frames, and were destined to separate addresses in Broward County, Florida. Inside the package, CBP officers discovered a total of eight vacuum-sealed bags of a white crystalline substance concealed inside boxes supposed to contain toys.

The other two parcels had five vacuum-sealed bags of a white crystalline product concealed inside the backing of picture frames. All 13 vacuum-sealed bags weighed 13.225 kilograms or 29 pounds and two ounces.

In total, the shipments contained 57 pounds and two ounces of ketamine, which had a street value of about $1.5 million.

“Ketamine is a very dangerous anesthetic that can seriously harm abusers and unsuspecting victims, and so it’s an illicit drug that Customs and Border Protection officers take immense pleasure at intercepting before it can reach our communities,” said Cleatus P. Hunt, Jr., Area Port Director for CBP’s Area Port of Philadelphia. “CBP remains committed to combating drug trafficking organizations by seizing their poisonous shipments at our nation’s ports of entry.”

Officials say, “CBP officers and agents seize an average of 1,571 pounds of drugs, including 78 pounds of fentanyl, every day at our nation’s air, sea, and land ports of entry.”