(US Customs and Border Protection)
ATLANTA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said they seized more than 5 pounds of a chemical called “liquid ecstasy” from a traveler who landed at Atlanta airport.
On Wednesday, officials stopped a 26-year-old U.S. citizen who arrived at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on a flight from Spain.
When searching the traveler’s luggage, the officers said they found two bottles containing a clear liquid, which together held about two and a half liters.
Tests revealed that the substance was suspected to be gamma-butyrolactone, a highly addictive chemical solvent used in industrial applications, according to authorities, also known on the street as liquid ecstasy and “coma in a bottle”.
The drug, known as GBL, can cause health problems such as respiratory distress, coma and death. It is also a precursor to gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, which is used as a date rape drug.
(US Customs and Border Protection)
“Our CBP officers are highly trained to detect the various methods used to conceal controlled substances,” said John Quintana, acting port director for CBP Atlanta. “This seizure is a testament to our officers’ proficiency in detecting illegal substances and using technology to identify and prevent dangerous substances from entering our communities.”
The traveler, whose identity was not released, was turned over to Clayton County Police.
According to CBP, its officers and agencies seize an average of 1,299 kilograms of drugs per day at air, land and sea ports of entry.
