Cracking the case! US customs officers seize 500 grams of meth hidden in individual PEANUT SHELLS being shipped from Mexico to Texas
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection have seized nearly 500 grams of meth hidden inside individual peanut shells being shipped from Mexico to Texas.
CBP officers cracked the unusual case on Tuesday at a shipping hub in Memphis, Tennessee, finding the stash inside a package labeled 'Regional Bread Roasted Peanuts, Regional Dust Sweet Made of Corn.'
An X-ray scan revealed 'suspicious anomalies' within the package, and officers unsealed the package and found what appeared to be bags of shelled peanuts, the agency said in a statement.
When an officer cracked one of the shells, however, they found balls of a white crystalline substance - which tests confirmed was methamphetamine.
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized nearly 500 grams of meth hidden inside individual peanut shells being shipped from Mexico to Texas on Tuesday
An X-ray scan revealed 'suspicious anomalies' within the package, and when officers cracked the shells they discovered balls of meth had been carefully hidden in each peanut
'My experienced officers long ago lost all surprise at the smuggling methods they encounter every shift,' said Area Port Director Michael Neipert in a statement.
'Narcotics in fruit, nuts, baked goods, shoes, toys and all kinds of other items disguised as gifts or other legitimate shipments fly through the express consignment world,' he added.
'These days you can get a gram of methamphetamine at half the price of what cocaine costs, and at twice the potency,' Neipert said. 'I'm proud we were able to keep this shipment from getting to its destination.'
The total weight of the seized meth was 489 grams, which the agency estimates is the equivalent of 2,445 doses.
The total weight of the seized meth was 489 grams, which the agency estimates is the equivalent of 2,445 doses
Neipert praised his officers for preventing 'dangerous drug highs that lead to reckless behavior, overdose and a danger to those around the user.'
Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system and can have severe long-term health impacts.
Currently, most methamphetamine in the United States is produced by criminal cartels in Mexico, according to the federal government.
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