Customs Border Protection officers intercept and confiscate approximately 104 pounds of DMT bound for Harford County.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Seizes Over 100 Pounds of DMT in Baltimore
In a significant drug seizure, CBP officers in Baltimore have intercepted nearly 104 pounds of DMT, a powerful psychedelic and hallucinogenic substance. This is not the first time CBP officers in Baltimore have seized DMT; they also seized close to 104 pounds of the drug in two separate shipments on July 18 and July 23.
The latest seizure, which took place between May 7 and May 27 via air cargo from Chiapas, Mexico, was hidden in 46 black vacuum-sealed bags. The DMT was found in 100 tightly sealed bags, distributed across three shipments.
According to CBP officers, the street value of the seized DMT is estimated to be $80,000. In a separate incident in June, CBP officers in Baltimore prevented 695 pounds of DMT from being delivered to an address in Harford County. The total number of vacuum-sealed bags in the June incident was 300. The street value of the DMT seized in the June incident was $555,000.
DMT can be smoked, snorted, or injected for short-term mind-altering effects, and it can also be consumed orally in brews like Ayahuasca for an LSD-like high. Some users take DMT for religious and ceremonial purposes. However, DMT is illegal in the U.S. due to its high potential for abuse and lack of accepted medical use.
CBP's Acting Area Port Director in Baltimore stated that the seizure demonstrates the agency's commitment to intercepting dangerous drugs at U.S. ports of entry. The manufacturer or mastermind behind the seized DMT is not publicly disclosed, and the CBP officers did not mention if any suspects had been apprehended in connection with the seizure.
DMT, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, was a popular abused substance in the 1960s. The combined weight of the DMT was 47 kilograms, or 104 pounds and 10 ounces. This seizure serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts by CBP to protect the public from the illegal drug trade.
