38 tonnes of drug-making chemicals seized in Mexico

The chemicals arrived in the Pacific port of Manzanillo on a ship that sailed from Shanghai.
Lab tests identified the substance as ethyl phenylacetate, a chemical that must undergo special checking to be allowed into the country.

Stored in two tanks, the chemical was headed for the Mexican capital, officials said.

The port of Manzanillo is one of the most frequently used points of entry for drugs and where some of the biggest drug busts have taken place.

In 2007, over 23.5 tonnes of cocaine were seized, and in 2008 close to $13 million in cash was found during a shady deal between Mexican and Colombian cartels.