BOC acts vs firm, broker over ‘shabu’ discovery

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has suspended the accreditation of the importer and customs broker involved in the shipment of P6.4-billion worth of “shabu” that was discovered in two Valenzuela City warehouses recently.

In a statement, the agency identified the importer as EMT Trading and the broker as Teejay Marcellana.

The suspension, which took effect on May 30, was ordered as the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) continued its investigation regarding the 605 kilos of shabu found in two warehouses on Aster Street in Paso de Blas and F. Bautista Street in Ugong, Valenzuela.

The BOC said it was the biggest seizure of illegal drugs made by the bureau in recent history.

The CIIS, headed by Neil Estrella, led the May 26 raid along with agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The caretakers of the warehouses were arrested while the drugs were turned over to the NBI and the PDEA.

The BOC said it seized a total of 795 kilos of shabu from several ports and warehouses across the country from July 2016 to May 2017 under the Duterte administration.—JULIE M. AURELIO