U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday it seized a case of Tramadol pain pills with an estimated street value at $150,000.
On Thursday, Cincinnati CBP officers seized a shipment that contained some 30,000 Tramadol tablets. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Dec. 8 (UPI) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday it seized a case of Tramadol pain pills with an estimated street value at $150,000.
On Thursday, Cincinnati CBP officers seized a shipment that contained some 30,000 Tramadol tablets, officials said.
The Tramadol pain killer a schedule IV substance under the Controlled Substance Act due to its potential for abuse.
“Most people hear about CBP seizing narcotics shipments,” said Director of Field Operations LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Chicago Field Office.
“However, shipments of illegal prescription pills are very dangerous too,” Sutton-Burked said in a statement.
CBP agents routinely screen international passengers and cargo at ports of entry nationwide for narcotics, weapons and other U.S.-prohibited items.
A shipment from Barbados bound for St. Kitts-Nevis was intercepted and inspected for clearance in the United States.
Officers discovered small boxes inside containing 30 push pill tabs each totaling 30,000 tablets of 50mg Tramadol.
CBP’s Chicago field director confirmed the pills were “not regulated by the FDA.”
Tramadol is a prescribed medication to relieve moderate to nearly severe pain and, similar to opioid analgesics, it works by altering the brain’s perception of pain.
It’s frequently abused in narcotic addiction, chronic pain patients and healthcare professionals.
Federal officials urged international buyers to verify purchases and ensure imports comply with all state and U.S. regulations.