Authorities seized these illegal drugs and other contents of a box that arrived at Pork of Clark and came from South Africa. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 3)
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga––The recent discovery of P6.9 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) inside a package at the Bureau of Customs Port of Clark in this freeport led to the arrest of a suspect during an entrapment operation Monday in Imus, Cavite.
In a statement, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 3 (PDEA-3) identified the arrested suspect as Razel John Manuel, 22, who received the package from undercover government operatives.
PDEA-3 said Customs inspectors found on March 11 the one-kilogram illegal drugs hidden in stainless steel thermos mugs in a box from Johannesburg, South Africa.
It said the package was consigned to a certain Louisa Diaz of Angeles City, and anti-narcotics operatives and the police tried to contact and deliver it to her.
“(The package) was intended to be delivered to her address in Angeles City. The authorities said that earnest efforts were made to contact the consignee but to no avail,” the agency said.
On March 20, the Johannesburg branch of the courier company handling the package asked the firm to redirect the package to Cavite, prompting PDEA, in cooperation with police and customs officers, to conduct the “controlled delivery” operation against the package’s receiver.
PDEA-3 said Diaz did not receive the package that allegedly contained illegal substances but authorized Manuel to receive it.
Operatives confiscated the shabu, Manuel’s driver’s license that he had used in claiming the package, and Diaz’s authorization letter.
Glenn Guillermo, PDEA-3 information officer, said charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 wold be filed against Manuel and Diaz.