(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Federal authorities at O’Hare International Airport have seized shipments of pill-making equipment earlier this month that could have ended up in the hands of drug traffickers.
Some shipments intercepted Jan. 7 contained pill-press die sets, while another contained a pill press machine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release.
All of the items came from China. Such equipment is used by traffickers to manufacture pills containing, fentanyl, among other drugs, officials said.
The shipments were being sent to individual residences in five states, including Illinois.
“Our ability to collect intelligence and the experience and knowledge of our officers were key in stopping these shipments,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “CBP officers throughout the nation remain committed to stopping these dangerous shipments, interrupting supply chains, and helping protect our communities from these potentially deadly narcotics.”
The agency says it seized more than 27,000 pounds of fentanyl last year -- an increase of more than 860 percent compared to 2019.
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