The United States law enforcement department stated that an American citizen was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state for the possession of illegal drugs, and this happened twice within a week.
According to a press release issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on July 23, officers from the agency at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport intercepted illegal drugs from the same American citizen twice in one week.
The 43-year-old man was first arrested on July 14 when customs officers conducted a second inspection on him. During the inspection of his luggage, officials found that he was carrying over 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms) of ketamine, nearly 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms) of codeine, and almost 3 ounces (88 milliliters) of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
The man was subsequently arrested and handed over to the airport police department. Shortly after being released on bail, he attempted to board a flight to London but was once again caught by customs officers with over half a pound (0.2 kilograms) of ketamine in his checked baggage.
Under Washington state law, the man faces charges of possession of ketamine with intent to distribute.
Brian Humphrey, the airport operations director at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, said in the press release: “CBP officers at the port of entry at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are working diligently to prevent dangerous drugs from entering the streets of our community. CBP officers also use their unique border search authority to prevent individuals from taking dangerous drugs out of the United States, thereby stopping their threat to other countries.”
Additionally, on April 11, Chicago CBP officers also intercepted thousands of pounds of drugs coming from mainland China.
In the press release, CBP stated that a drug detection canine alerted to 26 unmarked boxes containing powder. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the boxes held 1,117 pounds (507 kilograms) of methamphetamine precursor and 225 pounds (102 kilograms) of cocaine cutting agents.
CBP emphasized that as the largest law enforcement agency in the United States, they have a unique advantage in detecting, identifying, and seizing illegal drugs entering the country, thereby preventing these deadly substances from infiltrating communities and taking lives.