PHILADELPHIA, PA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Philadelphia International Airport uncovered a stash of narcotics on July 30 concealed inside a children’s board game, intercepting a parcel headed to London with nearly two pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine hidden beneath a bag of cat food.
Officers examining an outbound air parcel labeled as a “boardgame” found the drugs packed inside a box for 5 Second Rule, Jr. Inside the game box, under the cover of pet food, officers discovered a zip-lock bag and a vacuum-sealed bag. The zip-lock bag contained 515 grams — about 18 ounces — of white powder that tested positive for cocaine. The second bag held 186.9 grams, or 6.5 ounces, of pink pills that tested positive for methamphetamine.
The package was originally shipped from Atlanta and labeled as a return to sender. Authorities noted that drug trafficking operations sometimes send packages back to their source under the guise of a shipping error to avoid suspicion while smuggling contraband internationally.
CBP officers seized the narcotics, and an investigation is ongoing.
“This seizure of dangerous drugs illustrates how Customs and Border Protection officers expertly leverage our export enforcement mission to combat drug trafficking organizations,” said Cleatus P. Hunt, Jr., CBP’s Area Port Director in Philadelphia.
CBP officers routinely inspect international cargo for hidden narcotics and contraband. On average, CBP seizes over 1,500 pounds of drugs each day at U.S. entry and exit points.
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Key Points
- CBP officers in Philadelphia seized 18 ounces of cocaine and 6.5 ounces of meth hidden in a kids’ board game
- The parcel was disguised as a return-to-sender shipment from Atlanta to London
- The investigation is ongoing and CBP warns of smugglers disguising narcotics as common consumer goods