Drug sniffing dog detects 110 POUNDS of deadly drug shipment of fentanyl from China at Philadelphia port

  • Drug sniffing dog doing a routine check at Philadelphia port detected fentanyl
  • The 110 pound shipment was hidden inside barrels of iron oxide, according to Customs and Border Protection  
  • The 'high purity' shipment as an estimated street value of $1.7million
  • Over the course of 10 days in Philadelphia last week 20 people overdosed on drugs laced with fentanyl 

A drug sniffing dog detected $1.7million worth of the dangerous opioid fentanyl at a Philadelphia port last week.

The shipment from China weighed 110 pounds and was hidden inside barrels of iron oxide. It was shipped to the Area Port of Philadelphia and was discovered during a routine check. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents 'discovered 50 packages that contained sealed bags of a white, powdery substance,' according to a CBP release.  

The drugs were tested and positively identified as fentanyl.   

High purity fentanyl can sell for over $34,000 per kilogram on the street.

Customs and Border Protection drug sniffing dog detected 110 pound shipment of the deadly drug fentanyl inside barrels of iron oxide

Customs and Border Protection drug sniffing dog detected 110 pound shipment of the deadly drug fentanyl inside barrels of iron oxide

The shipment from China has an estimated street value of $1.7million- just last week 20 people in Philadelphia overdosed on crack cocaine laced with fentanyl 

The shipment from China has an estimated street value of $1.7million- just last week 20 people in Philadelphia overdosed on crack cocaine laced with fentanyl 

Casey Durst, CBP Director of Field Operations in Baltimore spoke on the growing scourge of public health issues relating to illicit drugs.

'Opioids, including fentanyl and its analogues, are a serious public health concern, and the importation of vast amounts of this deadly synthetic chemical compound is a national security threat.'

'Customs and Border Protection remains committed to keeping our communities safe by combatting the flow of illicit drugs, including synthetic opioids, into the United States,' Durst said.

Additionally, fentanyl seizures are on the rise since the CBP began tracking the drug shipments into the country since in 2016. 

A US CBP drug sniffing dog like the one seen here, detected the large shipment of fentanyl

A US CBP drug sniffing dog like the one seen here, detected the large shipment of fentanyl

In 2016 the CBP started tracking fentanyl and seized 440 pounds nationally. 

That number grew to 951 pounds in 2017, and 984 pounds just through the end of April 2018 thus far.  

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that 20 crack cocaine users had overdosed over the course of 10 days last week after unknowingly consuming the drugs that were laced with fentanyl.

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