LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Cocaine hidden in tennis rackets, cardboard boxes and envelopes was confiscated within the last week at UPS Worldport.

The Customs and Border Protection office at the Muhammad Ali International Airport said the amount seized is normal for an average week as thousands of packages make their way to their destinations through the hub.

Thomas Mahn Jr., director of the Customs Port said the top items confiscated were narcotics and counterfeit merchandise. Agents found a lot of shipments of fake purses, sunglasses and watches.

"We see a lot of weird stuff coming through here," Mahn said.

Pictures show a table filled with marijuana, THC wax, meth and THC vapes, all seized in a week by Customs agents.

"We've found Fentanyl inside children's toys that were coming into the country. The level of concealment, they've really stepped up their game, which has caused us to step up ours," Mahn said. "They filled the entire outer edge of the racket, then officers would break off the handle and shake it out until narcotics are pulled out."

Pictures show a hollowed out air compressor filled with cocaine, heroin concealed in soap bars to mask the scent, a suit case filled with meth, and $17,000 in cash found in speakers. Cocaine was also found embedded in the walls of a cardboard box.

Drugs Confiscated at UPS Worldport

"The officers ... do it so long they see what doesn't look right," Mahn said. "And they can focus on those shipments that don't look right."

He said employees see about 80,000 to 100,000 shipments come through Worldport each night, and agents only pull out less than 1% for inspection via ex-ray machines, plalet scanner or K-9s. The majority have final destinations all over the country and world.

Artwork was put through an x-ray recently, and agents saw an orange color, and they knew something was inside. It was cocaine.

Mahn said the Chicago field office, which oversees UPS in Louisville and DHL in Erlanger, Kentucky, leads the nation in narcotics interceptions, "even against the southern border interceptions that are occurring."

He said it's because of demand.

People want their narcotics — their bad goods — the next day," he said.

Because of that, up to 50 employees in Louisville are working to stop those types of shipments. After the busts, the information is turned over to investigators to find the suspects.

UPS spokesman Jim Mayer released a statement Thursday evening in response to the seizures:

"UPS participates in a variety of interdiction efforts with law enforcement authorities all over the world to promote the safety and security of our people, customers and the general public.

Our network features extensive security measures designed to stop those who would misuse our services. We don't discuss the specifics of our security program since its success depends on confidentiality."

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