STERLING, VA — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine from a package traveling through Washington Dulles International Airport, the agency said.
The parcel, which was mailed from Utah County, Utah, and destined for Paris, was intercepted July 10. No arrests had been made, and the investigation remained underway, according to CBP.
The package was labeled as containing a marble vase. When officers inspected it, however, they found two packages wrapped in black cellophane tape, each containing a crystalline substance, CBP said.
Officers used a handheld elemental isotope analysis device to test the substance and identified it as methamphetamine hydrochloride, according to the agency.
The seized drugs weighed 1.87 kilograms, or slightly more than 4 pounds. CBP estimated their U.S. street value at approximately $40,000.
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"Customs and Border Protection officers inspect hundreds to thousands of international mail parcels every day that are found to be legitimate so it is rewarding when our officers' diligent efforts are rewarded with the discovery and seizure of dangerous drugs like this crystal meth," Christine Waugh, CBP area port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., said in a statement.
"Intercepting illicit narcotics shipped through our ports of entry remains an enforcement priority for CBP and these inspections contribute to keeping Americans and our allies safe," Waugh said.
During a typical day in 2025, CBP officers and agents nationwide seized 1,598 pounds of drugs, including 465 pounds of methamphetamine, the agency said.
CBP officers and agriculture specialists screen international travelers and cargo at U.S. ports of entry. Inspections may target illegal drugs, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit products and prohibited agricultural materials, among other items.
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