November 16, 09

NEWS / Package Inspected by CBP in Cincinnati Contains Opium Concealed in Handbags

Cincinnati, Ohio — U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 officer working with his partner Roco at DHL facility located at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, seized approximately three kilograms or seven pounds of opium concealed inside an international parcel containing two woman’s handbags.

On November 13, an international shipment from Iran destined to Canada manifested as "sample of handy bag," was selected for an extensive examination by CBP. X-rays of the parcel revealed anomalies inside the two black leather handbags. CBP narcotic detector K-9 Roco, a 3-year-old German Shepard, then alerted to the shipment indicating the presence of narcotics. Further inspection of the handbags consisted of separating the front and back linings of the leather material revealing several packages of a hard brown substance wrapped in plastic and carbon paper. Both handbags were found to contain the hard brown substance that field tested positive for opium. The total gross weight of the seizure was 3.30 kilograms or 7.3 pounds, which included the weight of the two handbags and opium.


“Every day thousands of international packages are processed at these express consignment facilities,” said Brian Humphrey, CBP acting director of Field Operations in Chicago. “Our officers are experts at finding drugs hidden in every conceivable manner at this facility. This seizure further illustrates the importance of the CBP officer job and the CBP K-9 program. This opium will never find its way into a community thanks to the diligence of CBP.”


Customs and Border Protection officers and agriculture specialists are stationed at express consignment facilities throughout the United States. CBP inspects arriving international parcels and are on the lookout for any type of contraband or prohibited items being shipped to the United States.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/11132009_6.xml