This month, officials at Los Angeles International Airport found more than 17 pounds of liquid methamphetamine, hidden in plastic bottles of the month.
Officials said the estimated street value of drug recycling is more than $1.8 million, according to a press release on Wednesday.
On April 1, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at Los Angeles International Airport inspected the transport of an outbound air cargo called “various dog shampoos,” which contained 12 brightly colored bottles.
When officers from the airport’s law enforcement team opened the bottle, they saw a “crystalline white substance” that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Additional details about the intended destination or the parties attempting to send the drug have not been released.
From October 2023 to September 2024, customs and border protection officials caught more than 174,000 pounds of methamphetamine entering the country or being sent abroad, according to the press release. Since October last year, 64,000 pounds of methamphetamine have been intercepted.
Dog shampoo bottles are numerous creative ways smugglers try to sneak into the country.
Last March, a man tried to cross the border from Mexico with 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in large quantities of carrots. In August, another attempt to mask 1,220 packets of methyl methyl animals as watermelons, each round package wrapped around paper and painted two green shades to mimic the fruit.
Andrew H., director of ports for loose customs and border reserves.
“This major seizure speaks to the vigilance, keen attention and commitment of our officials to undermine transnational drug trafficking,” he said in a statement. “I am proud of their actions.”
