U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Syracuse Airport seized opium-poppy-pods in a shipment destined to New York State.
On September 3, CBP officers working at the Syracuse Airport selected a package manifested as dried table decorations, for additional screening. Further inspection by CBP officers, revealed 989 grams of what appeared to be loosely packed poppy pods. Opium poppy is considered a schedule II controlled substance and this discovery prompted a small sample of the item being forwarded to the Laboratory & Scientific Services (LSS).
On October 27, technicians from CBP’s LSS determined the sample contained codeine and morphine, consistent with opium poppy pods and as a result the raw opium was seized. “Our officers continue to perform their jobs at the highest level,” said Syracuse Port Director David Harris. “These officers do a tremendous job of screening and removing illegal substances before they are able to get into our communities.”
