December 14, 2007 Louisville, Kentucky
9 pounds of heroin seized at Greyhound Bus Station, 3 subjects arrested

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Louisville International Airport's United Parcel Services facility yesterday seized more than six kilograms of opium concealed in attaché style bags.

CBP officers performing pre-arrival manifest review at the UPS hub in Louisville selected a shipment manifested as "bag" for intensive exam. When the package arrived in the CBP exam area, a CBP officer opened the package and found 12 attaché style bags in satin dust covers wrapped in plastic.

Upon opening one of the bags and noticing that the front and back panels were inflexible, CBP officers made an incision into one of the panels which revealed a dark, brittle substance with a distinctive, pungent odor. The substance was hidden between two thin sheets of plastic, carbon paper and cardboard.

The substance field tested positive for opium.

CBP Director of Field Operations David J. Murphy said, "The work done at these Express Consignment Facilities sometimes goes unnoticed but this discovery of over 14 pounds of opium is another example of the fine work that CBP officers carry out on a daily basis. CBP is vigilant and on the constant lookout to prevent illegal contraband from entering this country."

Customs and Border Protection officers are stationed at express consignment facilities throughout the United States. CBP processes, examines and releases all parcels arriving from a foreign point of origin. All shipments are processed through a radiation portal to ensure that radioactive materials do not enter this country.
Source: U.S. Customs