Pubdate: Wed, 20 Dec 2000
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2000 St. Petersburg Times
Contact:  http://www.sptimes.com/
Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Forums/ubb/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi

RAPID RISE IN SMUGGLING OF ECSTASY REPORTED

WASHINGTON - The Customs Service says it is seeing a growing number 
of cases in which airline passengers are swallowing the 
hallucinogenic drug ecstasy in an effort to smuggle the illegal 
tablets into the United States.

"The use of 'swallowers' in ecstasy smuggling schemes is cause for 
serious concern," said Customs Commissioner Raymond Kelly. This 
technique has long been a hallmark of the heroin and cocaine trade, 
sometimes with fatal consequences for the couriers paid to perform 
this risky service."

In the 2000 fiscal year, customs officers seized a record 9.3-million 
tablets of ecstasy, a huge increase over 1999's 3.5-million tablets.
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