By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at an Express Consignment Operations hub in Northern Kentucky seized 50 pounds of methamphetamine that was hidden in soap.
There were two shipments that arrived at the Erlanger facility on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Those two shipments came from the same shipper in Mexico.
Meth was hidden in soap packages like these. (U.S. Customs photo)
A drug-sniffing dog alerted to the first package and when officers inspected it, they found bars of soap. However, 37 pounds of meth was mixed in with the soap. This package was destined for a residence in Atlanta.
The next night, CBP noticed the same shipper had another package arriving heading to a residence in Minnesota. The package had the same contents, soap with 13.5 pounds of meth inside.
The methamphetamine has a street value of $217,000. According to the DEA, meth is the drug most frequently identified in their reporting. About half of the DEA domestic field divisions are reporting price increases at the retail and/or wholesale level, particularly in areas where meth is most prevalent.
The DEA is also reporting decreases in availability.
Methamphetamine is dangerous and highly addictive stimulants. Abuse can lead to paranoia, exhaustion, heart conditions, convulsions, stroke, and death.
Meth is classified as Schedule II stimulant, under the federal Controlled Substances Act.
