Customs officials seize ‘blue nitro' or liquid ecstasy shipment in Philly

A shipment of what officials said was a party drug disguised as skin care products moving through Philadelphia was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on April 25, 2025.

In a statement on the seizure, officials said that customs agents at the Port of Philadelphia tested a shipment of, what was listed as “skincare essential oils and resino” on a shipment manifest, and instead found bottles labeled as “Tonico Facial Calmiante,” — which translates to soothing facial toner — to instead contain a drug known as “Blue Nitro.”

According to officials, “Blue Nitro,” also known as liquid ecstasy, is gamma-butyrolactone, a commonly used industrial chemical solvent found in paint removers, cleaners, adhesives, and nail polish removers.

It is a precursor to the more dangerous gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as GHB, a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, officials said.

“GHB and GBL are used as a party drug because it mimics the effects of alcohol, but it poses potentially severe health consequences, including unconsciousness, seizures, slowed heart rate, severe respiratory depression, decreased body temperature, vomiting, nausea, coma, or death,” customs officials said in a statement.

In the shipment, officials said, agents seized a half gallon of the drug that was contained in small bottles.

Officials said the shipment originated in Barcelona, Spain and was destined for an address in Everett, Mass.

“GBL and GHB are very dangerous chemical substances that could imperil the health of deliberate users and traumatize unsuspecting victims, and they are a substance that Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to seize at our nation’s borders,” said Acting Area Port Director Elliot N. Ortiz, of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the Port of Philadelphia. “Intercepting dangerous drugs is one way in which CBP officers help to keep our communities safe.”