P1.1M worth of marijuana seized at Port of Clark

Photos from Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines — Some 966 grams of marijuana with an estimated value of P1.1 million was seized at the Port of Clark, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported Friday.

The illegal substance was discovered in a shipment declared as “art-work fine” from California in the United States, which arrived at the port on June 9. Upon physical examination, however, two vacuum-sealed clear plastic packs of suspected fine kush weeds were found in the artwork.

“Said shipment was likewise subjected to K9 sniffing which indicated the presence of illegal drugs. Thereafter, PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) chemical analysis was conducted affirming the findings of BOC-Clark personnel,” the bureau said in a statement.

The seized items were turned over to PDEA Region III on Thursday, June 18.

Also turned over to PDEA were two other shipments containing separately one bottle of CBD Oil and six tobacco rolling papers which likewise positively resulted in the presence of marijuana, BOC said.

Marijuana is listed as an illegal drug in the Philippines under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Said shipments likewise violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) in relation to Republic Act No. 9165.

This was not the first time that an illegal substance was seized at the port since on March 30, as the Port of Clark also seized P13.2 million worth of marijuana, which were then hidden inside 14 cans of herbal supplements, the bureau said.

So far, a total of 12.535 kilograms of illegal or illegal substances have been seized by the port this year. (with Tonette Orejas)

EDV