PHILADELPHIA, PA — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Philadelphia recently intercepted five separate shipments containing a total of 57 pounds of ketamine hydrochloride, a powerful animal anesthetic increasingly misused as a recreational drug and tool for sexual assault.
The largest seizure occurred on June 21, when officers examined a parcel from the Netherlands labeled as fishing rods bound for Miami. Instead, they found nearly 28 pounds of ketamine concealed in six plastic buckets. The substance was confirmed as ketamine hydrochloride using advanced elemental isotope analysis.
Days later, on June 28, CBP officers seized four additional shipments arriving from Germany. These parcels were falsely declared as toys, replacement rollers, and picture frames and were headed to different addresses in Broward County, Florida. Officers uncovered 13 vacuum-sealed bags of ketamine hidden within toy boxes and picture frame backings, totaling over 29 pounds.
Ketamine, classified as a Schedule III controlled substance, is used legally in human and veterinary medicine but is widely abused for its dissociative and hallucinogenic effects. It is often found at clubs and raves and has been misused by predators to incapacitate victims. Health risks include severe respiratory complications, convulsions, and unconsciousness.
According to CBP, the seized ketamine has an estimated street value of $1.5 million. The investigation into these smuggling attempts remains ongoing.
“Ketamine is a very dangerous anesthetic that can seriously harm abusers and unsuspecting victims,” said Cleatus P. Hunt, Jr., CBP Area Port Director for Philadelphia. “CBP remains committed to combatting drug trafficking organizations by seizing their poisonous shipments at our nation’s ports of entry.”
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