MANILA, Philippines – A small, cheap figurine bound for Israel turned out to cost much more after P700,000 worth of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) was found hidden inside.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said the package was intercepted at a courier service’s warehouse last week when an employee tipped them off about the parcel.
The shabu, placed in 28 plastic sachets, weighed 140 grams and was hidden in the wooden base of the figurine.
PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said the package was bound for Tel Aviv, Israel and was sent from Laguna.
Anti-narcotics agents went to the courier service’s warehouse in Pasig City last Wednesday afternoon after receiving a call from an employee.
The employee told authorities that they had a package suspected to contain illegal drugs.
Upon inspection, the PDEA operatives discovered the contraband hidden inside the wooden base of the figurine.
“Samples of the seized white crystalline substance yielded positive results for the presence of shabu during a field reagent test,” Cacdac said.
Authorities are tracking down and verifying the identities of the consignee and the sender indicated on the package.