BOC seized P56 million worth of shabu in ‘balikbayan’ box

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MANILA, Philippines — More than P56 million worth of illegal methamphetamine or shabu was seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the agency said on Wednesday.

According to the BOC, the shipment arrived in a balikbayan box to Manila from Thailand on April 7 at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

READ: BOC seizes Liberian-flagged vessel in Bohol Sea

Initially, the box was declared to contain clothes, motor parts, among other items.

However, BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said that the shabu packets inside the box were around 8,290 grams and were hidden inside electric fans and water heaters.

“The bureau has caught and seized quite a number of balikbayan boxes using the same modus—of these individuals or organizations trying to pass on illegal drugs and other items in a harmless balikbayan box,” Rubio said in a statement.

The agency likewise said that it will hold accountable those behind the modus.

“We’ve seen this before. This is nothing new to our agents,” Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services Director Verne Enciso said in the same statement.

“It only intensifies our desire to get to the bottom of this modus and put an end to the individuals, groups, and organizations who think they can bend our laws to their will. We work hard every day not only in big operations such as this, but in ensuring that we will prosecute these people,” Enciso added.

READ: BOC says it exceeded April target revenue by P3.1B

The consignees, senders, and recipients of the box may be liable for several cases, such as prohibited importation and exportation, misdeclaration, and violations of anti-drug laws, the BOC added.