Aguadilla, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers seized 55 pounds (25 kilos) of LSD Monday inside a parcel that arrived at the Rafael Hernandez International Airport (BQN).

“Smugglers seek many ways to introduce contraband and try to enter diverse illegal substances,” stated Roberto Vaquero, Assistant Director for Field Operations for Border Security in Puerto Rico and he US Virgin Islands. “Nonetheless, our officers are steadfast in detecting and seizing these drugs.”  

LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is classified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I drug, substance, or chemical with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

“At DEA we have conducted many investigations of transnational criminal organizations dealing with LSD amongst other drugs, however, it is certainly unusual to seize such a significant amount.  These organizations should be aware that DEA, CBP, HSI (ICE) and the other Federal Law Enforcement agencies overseeing Puerto Rico, won’t let our guard down.   We’ll continue tracking and dismantling them. “said A.J. Collazo DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge.

On Aug. 19, during the inspection of arriving parcels CBP officers selected a box manifested as “Cabrera Leather Dye” for a more thorough inspection.  

Upon opening the box, officers found five basketball-sized packages made of a brownish powder. The packages were marked as products of M. Cabrera, a variety of mimosa tree and clearly marked as “not for human consumption.”

With assistance from staff of the CBP Laboratory, a sample was tested, revealing the properties of LSD.

CBP’s mission is to safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.