6 gallons of chemical solvent dubbed 'coma in a bottle' seized: CBP
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Florida -- Six gallons of a chemical solvent known as liquid ecstasy or "coma in a bottle" destined for Hillsborough County were seized in Philadelphia, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers announced this week.
According to a press release, the gallons of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) arrived in two shipments from France and were meant to go to an address in Hillsborough County.
GBL is a DEA Schedule 1 controlled substance, according to CBP. It's used as a date-rape drug and by bodybuilders to increase growth hormone, the press release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
GBL is a chemical analog of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a highly addictive central nervous system depressant that poses potentially severe health consequences, including respiratory distress, coma and death, according to the DEA.
When used as intended, officials said GBL is an industrial solvent that strips paint and rust.
No arrests have been made in connection to the shipment.
