An attempt to smuggle the illegal drug methamphetamine, or “shabu,” worth P56.069 million was foiled by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the Port of Clark last week.
According to the BOC, this was the biggest seizure of illegal drugs in the port this year.
The BOC said the operation started after they received “derogatory information” from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) about a certain shipment that arrived on Dec. 17 from California.
This prompted the BOC-Clark, PDEA, Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, X-ray Inspection Project, Enforcement and Security Service, and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service to conduct the controlled delivery operation on the shipment in Cavite on Dec. 19.
“The shipment was subjected to rigorous x-ray screening and K-9 sniffing, which both indicated possible presence of illegal drugs,” the BOC statement read.
Upon physical examination, eight brown bags heat-sealed plastics, which contained the illegal drugs but were labeled as “dry food” were found.
PDEA chemical laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine hydrochloride, a dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165, or the Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
In the same operation, one male claimant of the shipping was arrested by BOC and PDEA personnel.
READ: P3.6-B worth of shabu seized in Pampanga warehouse