PHILADELPHIA, PA — Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers this week intercepted 170 pounds of marijuana at a warehouse in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, thwarting an attempt to export the illegal substance to the United Kingdom. The seizure occurred during a routine examination of export parcels at an international shipping facility, where officers discovered 35 parcels containing marijuana.
The parcels originated from various addresses in California and were intended for multiple destinations across the UK. This significant haul, weighing in at 77.4 kilograms, has an estimated street value of approximately $800,000 in Philadelphia, with the potential to command two to three times that amount in London, depending on the marijuana’s potency.
Cleatus Hunt, Area Port Director for CBP in Philadelphia, underscored the federal stance on marijuana, stating, “Though medical and recreational use of marijuana is being decriminalized in some U.S. states, marijuana possession and bulk smuggling remain illegal under federal law, and so Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to seize it when we encounter it.”
The operation highlights a broader trend observed by CBP of U.S.-based growers and criminal networks exporting marijuana to regions like Europe and Africa, where premium prices can be achieved due to varying legal frameworks and demand.
Just weeks prior, Philadelphia CBP intercepted 114 pounds of marijuana concealed within the luggage of two women attempting to fly to London. Such incidents highlight an ongoing challenge for law enforcement in curbing the illegal trade of cannabis across international borders.
Last year alone, CBP officers and agents confiscated an average of 2,339 pounds of narcotics daily across the country’s ports of entry, underscoring the scale of the issue and the agency’s commitment to maintaining legal compliance and public safety.
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