SPRING HILL, Fla. – A man is behind bars following a specialized narcotics raid that uncovered a massive shipment of ketamine hidden inside everyday household items. Detectives with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Vice and Narcotics Unit descended on a home at 5043 Tiburon Avenue in Spring Hill on Tuesday morning, ending an investigation into international drug trafficking through the mail.
The operation began when authorities received a tip about a resident receiving large quantities of ketamine hydrochloride from an overseas source.
Upon entering the home, investigators located 36-year-old Ting Zheng and took him into custody without incident.
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However, the real discovery came when they started tearing apart a package containing 20 large wax candles. While they looked like ordinary decor, the candles had been hollowed out to hide plastic bags filled with a white, crystal-like powder.
Field tests confirmed the substance was ketamine. Once the powder was removed from the wax shells and weighed, the total came to roughly 11.198 pounds. For a drug typically measured in tiny doses, a haul of over 11 pounds represents a significant street value.
Zheng, a Chinese citizen living in the U.S. on a work visa, now faces felony charges for possession of ketamine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Because of his immigration status, the Sheriff’s Office alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE officials confirmed they are tracking the case and may take their own enforcement action or issue a detainer depending on how the legal process unfolds.
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While ketamine is legally used by doctors and veterinarians for anesthesia and, more recently, for treating severe depression, it carries a dark reputation on the street. Because it can cause memory loss and physical paralysis, it is often linked to drug-facilitated sexual assaults.
Detectives are still working to trace exactly where the shipment originated and who else might be involved in the distribution chain. For now, Zheng remains held at the Hernando County Detention Center.
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