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Cincinnati CBP seizes over $1M worth of cocaine, meth in outbound shipments

CINCINNATI — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati have seized more than $1 million worth of cocaine and methamphetamine headed towards different countries around the world.

On October 17, the first discover was made when CBP Narcotics Detector Dog (NDD) “Bico” alerted to a socket set enroute from California to New Zealand. Officers conducted a physical inspection and found the casing around the tools had been hollowed out and filled with methamphetamine, CBP said.

>> PHOTOS: Cincinnati CBP seizes over $1M worth of cocaine, meth in outbound shipments

On October 25, officers held a shipment of tea sets originating in Covina, California and destined to Australia. The tea sets were housed inside two suitcases lined with felt, under which were blue corrugated inserts that were taped closed and leaking white powder. Officers tested the powder and found it to be methamphetamine, according to CBP.

The next day, CBP NDD “Betty” alerted to a shipment of racing jackets that had come from Canada and were headed to Australia. Officers found thin plastic packets of cocaine within the lining of the jackets. Shortly after, officers inspected a cosmetic machine containing cocaine, also moving from Canada to Australia, CBP said.

During the next shift, CBP NDD “Otos” alerted officers to another Australian-bound shipment containing a marble chessboard. In the base of the chessboard, officers found a cavity full of white powder that tested positive for cocaine.

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On October 28, officers inspected a shipment from California that was leaving the country for Italy. The shipment contained children’s book and puzzle boxes with packages of “white crystals” tucked inside. CBP said these later tested positive for methamphetamine.

The same day, officers located cocaine packed inside the walls of a speaker amplifier in a shipment headed to Hong Kong from Barbados.

The following week, “Bico” tracked down another shipment destined to Australia. The package contained a lead apron filled with black tape-wrapped packages containing layers of cocaine in vacuum-sealed bags.

Four days later, officers found methamphetamine hidden in water filters in transit from New Jersey to New Zealand, CBP said. The following day, they extracted ten packages of cocaine from a hospital bed moving from Alberta, Canada to Australia.

Combined, the shipments held nearly about 74 pounds of cocaine and 24 pounds of methamphetamine, which could have a cumulative U.S. street value of up to $1,214,640, according to CBP.



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