CHICAGO– U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at O’Hare’s International Mail Facility seized a shipment from Germany containing more than 10,000 Ecstasy pills on April 9.

The parcel was x-rayed and contained what appeared to be paint cans. Officers also noticed anomalies on the x-ray and pulled the package for examination. Upon inspection, officers noted four containers labeled as Planet Muscle First Class Nutrition. Each container contained sealed foil packets containing florescent orange pills. The parcel weighed 11 pounds and contained approximately 10,013 pills.

The package was destined for a residence in Florida. “International mail facilities are extremely high-volume facilities,” said Hans Leiterman, Assistant Area Port Director, Tactical. “Shippers of illicit goods may feel that the odds would be in their favor to use these venues as a way to circumvent inspection and smuggle contraband into the United States, but our officers are among the nation’s finest in recognizing and intercepting illicit shipments of any kind.”

O’Hare’s International Mail Facility processes 20% of the international mail coming into the United States.

Ecstasy, or MDMA, is known as a party drug. Ecstasy comes in a pill or powder form, and the pills have a variety of logos and colors. Ecstasy can increase motor activity, cause muscle tension, euphoria, chills, confusion, anxiety, organ failure and even death. Ecstasy is classified as Schedule II stimulants under the Controlled Substances Act.