BoC seizes P50-M illegal drugs
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it has seized around P50.47 million worth of illegal drugs in separate busts recently.
At the Manila airport last Oct. 12, a passenger was found carrying 6.2 kilograms of crystal meth (shabu) valued at P42.16 million, Customs said.
“A South African passenger arriving from Addis Ababa was apprehended for bringing in 6.2 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu,” the BoC said in a statement.
In a separate statement, the bureau said it found 4,891 ecstasy tablets, also known as “party tablets,” worth P8.31 million at the Port of Clark. The shipment came from the Netherlands.
“A physical examination of the shipment revealed one box of espresso capsules and three boxes of coffee beans,” it said, noting that the tablets were concealed among the coffee beans.
Both instances violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, BoC said.
The BoC said it will remain “vigilant against the importation of illegal drugs and hazardous substances into the country,” Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said.
Intercepted drugs in the January-June period amounted to P2.28 billion in total, the BoC said in its midyear report. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
