Monday, June 29, 2020

US Customs Seize Millions Worth of Illicit Narcotics and Assault Weapon Parts From China

U.S. customs officials in Cincinnati recently seized 530 pounds of illicit narcotics and other controlled substances in a shipment originating from China, which had a street value of over $2 million.

CBP announced that customs officials in Louisville seized an illicit shipment of 10,000 assault weapon parts that originated from China.

Lethal overdoses of fentanyl killed 71,500 Americans in 2017, according to data released by the CDC. And China is the largest source of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-like substances in the country, according to a 2018 report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

The remainder of the illicit narcotics were Schedule III and IV substances and other prescription-only medicines such as steroids, anti-anxiety, and anti-depressant medications, as well as medicines intended for preventing or treating COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

"Synthetic drugs threaten the health and safety of our nation's citizens. This seizure epitomizes the dedication of our officers and showcases the significant role they play in ensuring CBP's strategy to combat the illicit flow of narcotics is successful," said Robert E. White, director of CBP Field Operations for the Chicago Field Office, according to the press release.

In 2019, U.S. lawmakers introduced several bills-Combating Illicit Fentanyl Act of 2019 and Fentanyl Sanctions Act and-with the goal of stopping the flow of foreign fentanyl into the United States.

The shipment of assault weapon parts was seized on May 22, and was destined for a residence in Melbourne, Florida, from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

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