Cincinnati customs agents find meth hidden in religious paintings

In a photograph released by customs agents, one of the paintings also featured the late Pope John Paul II.

Officers inspected the frames of the paintings and found a space behind the backs of the paintings, which contained thin packets of white powder that tested positive for meth, CBP officials said in the release.

“Our canine partners and their handlers are some of CBP’s most valuable resources,” CBP Cleveland (A) Area Port Director Eugene Matho said. “They are often our last line of defense, and because of their skill and dedication these dangerous drugs are not on our streets.”

CBP officials estimated the meth, which weighed 9.2 pounds, would have been worth $16,720 on the street.