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U.S. Customs seizes 14 pounds of cocaine worth over $700,000

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Posted at 8:46 PM, Jun 25, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-26 08:12:14-04

CINCINNATI — Two different U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizures in June intercepted nearly $700,000 worth of cocaine.

A June 4 shipment from the Caribbean headed toward Perth, Australia, which appeared to contain documents, was found to have several black, zippered folders containing an unknown white powder.

That powder, which amounted to about 3 pounds, was eventually found to be cocaine.

Five days later, more than 11 pounds of liquid cocaine was discovered inside a shipment of cosmetics sent from Mexico bound toward a residence in Santa Rosa, Florida.

“Seizures like this underscore the reality of the drug threat and CBP’s commitment to the border security mission, and its impact on our local citizens throughout the nation,” said the Customs and Border Patrol director of field operations-Chicago, LaFonda Sutton-Burke.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cocaine is responsible for one in every five overdose deaths.