Massive drug shipment to Spalding County home disguised as gifts
Over 32,000 pills headed for a home in Spalding County were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. (Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 32,000 illegal prescription pills in Philadelphia last week that were being sent to a Spalding County address.
What we know:
Officers intercepted two separate parcels sent from the Netherlands and London on April 29 and April 30. The shipments were destined for the same home in Spalding County. According to CBP, the parcels were labeled as "XOMETRY" and "100 X TSHIRT (GIFT)" to hide the drugs inside.
The seizure included 17,000 tramadol tablets, which is a synthetic opioid used for pain that carries a risk of addiction. Officers also found thousands of tablets of lorazepam, zolpidem, diazepam, and alprazolam, commonly known as Ativan, Ambien, Valium, and Xanax.
All the seized drugs are Schedule IV controlled substances. CBP officials warned that medicines ordered online from overseas can be toxic fillers or mixed with fentanyl. Acting Area Port Director Elliott N. Ortiz said the primary concerns are the safety of unapproved medicine and the danger they pose to victims.
Ortiz urged people to only take medicine prescribed by doctors and bought from known pharmacies. He noted that while overseas options might be cheaper, they are not always better or safe.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear if anyone at the Spalding County address has been arrested or charged. Authorities have not said if they have identified the specific person who sent the parcels from Europe.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who explained how officers seized the tablets in Philadelphia and provided details on the intended destination in Georgia.