Baltimore CBP intercepts 695 pounds of the psychedelic drug DMT destined to Harford County, MD

BALTIMORE – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Baltimore seized 695 pounds of Dimethyltryptamine, an LSD-like hallucinogenic, on June 11 that was destined to an address in Harford County, Maryland.

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a schedule I controlled substance, is used for its psychedelic and hallucinogenic effects and was a popular drug of abuse in the 1960’s. Today, DMT is still encountered on the illicit market with other tryptamine hallucinogens. Abusers can smoke, snort, or inject DMT, or consume it orally in brews like Ayahuasca for an LSD-like high. The intense, short duration effects are attractive to individuals who want the psychedelic experience, but not the mind-altering perceptions of other hallucinogens, like LSD.

DMT has no approved medical use in the United States.

The seizure consisted of three shipments that arrived in air cargo from Chiapas, Mexico between May 7 and May 27. Each shipment consisted of four boxes and a combined 100 vacuum-sealed bags. CBP officers examined a random selection of the vacuum-sealed bags from each shipment and discovered a brown, powdery substance.

CBP officers shipped two bags of the brown, powdery substance from each shipment to scientists at CBP’s Laboratories and Scientific Services for a full lab analysis. On June 6, CBP’s scientists identified the substance as DMT.

The 300 vacuum-sealed packages of DMT weighed a combined 315.5 kilograms, or about 695 pounds, nine ounces, and had a street value of about $555,000.

CBP officers seized the DMT. An investigation continues.

“The global marketplace has allowed unscrupulous people in our communities to order dangerous drugs, such as DMT, from overseas manufacturers that could hurt and potentially kills abusers,” said Jason Kropiewnicki, CBP’s Acting Area Port Director in Baltimore. “Inspecting imports remains a critical component of Customs and Border Protection’s border security mission, and seizures like this are one way in which CBP helps to protect our communities.”

CBP officers and agents seized an average of 1,571 pounds of dangerous drugs every day at our nation’s air, land, and sea ports of entry last year. See what CBP accomplished during "A Typical Day" in 2024. Learn more at www.CBP.gov.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos, and CBP’s Office of Field Operations on Instagram at @cbpfieldops.