Philadelphia CBP officers seize nearly 300 lbs. of dried opium poppy pods from Spain

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Philadelphia seized nearly 300 pounds of dried opium poppy pods.

Officials said the shipment from Spain arrived in Philadelphia sometime between Tuesday and May 1.

The poppy pods are said to have a street value of about $30,000.

CBP officers said they seized:

-63 shipments on May 1, with a combined weight of 65.05 kilograms

-20 shipments on May 7, with a combined weight of 29.91 kilograms

-12 shipments on May 13, with a combined weight of 13.89 kilograms

-8 shipments on May 14, with a combined weight of 4.21 kilograms

-14 shipments on Monday, with a combined weight of 12.08 kilograms

-6 seizures on Tuesday, with a combined weight of 8.93 kilograms.

Collectively, the 123 opium poppy pod shipments weighed 295 pounds and 10 ounces.

The packages were manifested as "Decora Craft Balls Ornamental" and were addressed to Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

CBP officers said the seized poppy will be destroyed.

The poppy plant, including poppy pods, poppy straw, and poppy straw - in any form - are a Schedule II controlled substance.

Morphine and codeine are naturally occurring opiates derived from opium poppies, according to Philadelphia CBP.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, opium is a highly addictive non-synthetic narcotic. Opium abuse may lead to severe physical and psychological dependence and can lead to an overdose.