Customs officials have found Ketamine a Date Rape Drug in a box containing a plastic container at a courier bond. The drug was found earlier today after officers of the Customs and Excise division acted on information received. Routine scans were conducted. The drug weighed in at .94kg, and had a street value of TT$665,000.00.
The package containing the drug was examined and handed over to the Preventive Branch of the Customs and Excise Division. Investigations are ongoing.
Meantime, the Customs and Excise Division (CED) said it has been informed of persons, both locally and internationally, purporting to be Officers of the CED who are soliciting monies from members of the public for the clearance of goods.
The CED said it had also come to the Division’s attention that persons are falsifying Customs documents and targeting members of the public via email or social media directing them to pay excessive sums of money for clearance of items imported via Express Consignment Cargo Reporters (Courier companies).
As a result, the CED is now reminding the public that the payment of taxes due on the importation of goods into Trinidad and Tobago is payable to the Comptroller of Customs and Excise. These payments are to be made directly to the Division’s cashiers where an official receipt will be issued.
With respect to goods imported via courier companies, payment is made to the courier service and NOT to the Customs and Excise directly. The Customs and Excise Division further advised that notification of payment of taxes is not done via any form of social media.
Members of the public have been asked to contact the nearest Police Station and the Customs and Excise Preventive Branch at 623-5178 if approached by anyone purporting to be a Customs and Excise Officer/Official via any medium, soliciting monies for the clearance of goods. The Comptroller of Customs and Excise remains committed to facilitating compliant and legitimate trade.