CBP intercepts 110 lbs. of ketamine in baggage at Metro Airport

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations intercepted 110 pounds of ketamine in a traveler’s baggage at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Dec. 13, according to a CBP news release on Dec. 20.
A citizen of the United Kingdom arrived on a flight from France and was selected for a secondary inspection. An x-ray scan and physical search of two large suitcases, which the man claimed were given to him by a family member, revealed plastic bags filled with large white crystals.
Field tests identified the substance as ketamine. At $90 per gram, this ketamine load has a street value of over $4 million.
CBP officers seized the ketamine and refused admission to the traveler. He was returned to France.
“Our drug interdiction mission is vital to protecting our nation and our communities from the dangers of illicit substances,” said Acting Port Director John Ammons.
Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance, and while accepted for medical use for short-term sedation and anesthesia, it is abused for its dissociative sensations and hallucinogenic effects. The anesthetic drug has also been associated with sexual assault.
Travelers are encouraged to learn more about current regulations before attempting to bring certain items into the United States to avoid penalties, seizures, and even arrest.