PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Federal officers in Philadelphia seized 18 candles that were filled with ketamine earlier this month.
The Port of Philadelphia serves as a hub for incoming international parcels. On Jan. 12, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents spotted a suspicious package from Austria en route to North Miami Beach.
Inside, they found what seemed to be 18 homemade candles, weighing nearly 50 pounds in all. After a closer look, officers found a white powdery substance concealed in them.
The substance was ketamine hydrochloride, sometimes known as Special K. It is a short-acting anesthetic that can cause immobility or hallucinations, according to the DEA. It is a popular club drug among teens and young adults, but it is also sometimes used to facilitate sexual assault crimes.
Ketamine does have a few FDA-approved medical uses. One form of it is used as a nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression. The FDA says it is not, however, approved for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder.
The drug-stuffed candles were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations.
CBP says agents across the country seize an average of 4,732 pounds of drugs daily.
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