Drug Haul From India
Detected At Juan
Santamaría
Costa Rica drug
enforcement authorities
confiscated some 2 1/2
tonees of pills used to
produce Methamphetamine,
popularly shortened to
meth, a synthetic drug.
The Policía Control de
Drogas (PCD) confiscated
a number of bottles
containing 1.000 pills
each of the drug with
the Latin name,
pseudoefedrina (pseudoephedrine
in English), which is
commonly used as a
decongenstant or in
combinations with
antihistamines and/or
iburpofen. A trademark
in the North America
containing
pseudoephedrine is
Sudafed.
Some people,
long-distance truck
drivers and sports
athletes for example,
have reportedly used
pseudoephedrine as a
stimulant to increase
their state of
alertness/awakedness.
The misuse of
pseudoephedrine has been
associated with
stimulant dependence.
The similarity in
chemical structure to
the amphetamines has
made pseudoephedrine a
sought-after chemical
precursor in the illicit
manufacture of
methamphetamine.
Internationally,
pseudoephedrine is
listed as a Table I
precursor under the
United Nations
Convention Against
Illicit Traffic in
Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances.
The origin of the
shipment was traced to
India, passing through
Holland, Spain and
finally arriving in
Costa Rica on a
commercial airliner,
with its final
destination believed to
be Honduras.
The shipment was
detected at the Juan
Santamaría (San José)
international airport by
customs agents. |
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