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3,000 Pounds Of Chemicals Used To Make Illegal Drugs Seized At LAX

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Inspectors at Los Angeles International Airport seized a shipment of more than 3,000 pounds of chemicals that can be used to make methamphetamine and ecstasy, authorities said Thursday.

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KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports.

Forty drums containing 2,200 pounds of methylamine hydrochloride and two barrels containing 880 pounds of ethyl phenyl acetate were seized Sept. 29 at an air cargo consignment facility, said Jaime Ruiz of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The chemicals were in a shipment that had arrived from China, with a final destination in the state of Illinois, Ruiz said. The chemicals are known as "precursors," and are used in the manufacturing process of methamphetamine and ecstasy.

"In terms of volume, this is a significant interception and definitely one of the largest `meth precursor' seizures at LAX in recent years," said Todd Owen, CBP's director of field operations in Los Angeles.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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