Thousands Of Bongs Seized in Los Angeles

November 20, 2009 6:57 p.m. EST

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Los Angeles found 860 boxes of highly decorated drug pipes (i.e. bongs) disguised as Christmas ornaments. Approximately 316,000 bongs were seized on Tuesday by officials at the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex. The total estimated value is upwards of $2 million.

A Customs spokesperson said the importer is currently under investigation, but no arrests have been made at this time. Although legal to purchase at many cigar and smoke stores as "water pipes," bongs can be considered drug paraphernalia and it is illegal to import or export any type of drug supply in the United States.