PDEA seizes P112M ‘shabu’ in tomato sauce cans, Kush in luggage

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have confiscated a total of P112.39 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) and ecstasy which were hidden inside cans of tomato sauce, and Kush hidden in a black luggage in four separate shipments at the Clark International Airport in Angeles City.

A total of 19 kilos of “shabu” and several pieces of ecstasy were intercepted by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Dec. 28, Jan. 13, and Jan. 14, PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino said in a press conference on Thursday.

Shabu inside cans of tomato sauce intercepted by PDEA.  PHOTO by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net

Aquino added that another three kilograms of Kush, a cannabis strain that grows in the Hindu Kush, were confiscated by authorities on Jan. 10.

The shipments all came from Las Vegas City in Nevada, USA, Aquino said.

According to Aquino, an examiner at the BOC noticed that some of the tomato sauce cans in the Dec. 28 shipment were leaking. A check of the cans led to the discovery of the illegal drugs. Other shipments were also found to have contained illegal drugs upon inspection by BOC staff.

Kush found hidden inside luggage. PHOTO by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net

“They are so creative [na] kung ano ang pwede nilang gawin para itago itong drugs sa loob ng kung anu-anong items,” Aquino said.

(They are so creative that they can do anything to conceal drugs in different items.)

He said a single international drug service courier is responsible for all four shipments.

Aquino said the PDEA had suggested to their counterpart in the US to beef up its efforts to intercept illegal drugs before these can be shipped to the Philippines.

Aquino said packages are not inspected by X-ray machines before being shipped. It is only the receiving country that detect and intercept smuggled drugs.

“‘Yung receiving country na lang ang makakadetect hopefully kung may drugs ‘yung pinadala  (Only the receiving country will hopefully detect if it has illegal drugs),” he said.  /muf