BOC seizes shabu shipments worth P16M from California

Photo credit: BOC

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced Friday that it had seized two shipments of shabu, estimated to be worth P16,146,000, originating from Torrance, California, at the Port of Clark in Pampanga.

In a statement, the BOC said that customs examiners discovered two packages of Muscle Recovery Bath Soak, each containing a white crystalline substance. These weighed 1,122 grams and 1,218 grams respectively.

The first shipment had been declared as an “Ash + Axel 2PK Cryo Therapy Set,” while the second was labeled as “Gent Leather Shower Gel 33.8.” Different receivers were listed for each shipment.

The X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) personnel had initially flagged these shipments as “suspicious.” Their contents were confirmed as dangerous drugs after inspection by the K9 Unit of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Samples were sent to the PDEA, where chemical laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, or “shabu.”

District Collector Ricardo Morales has issued Warrants of Seizure and Detention for the shipments for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in conjunction with Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Kirsten Segui, Inquirer.net trainee

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