Illegal drug smuggling inevitable, BoC admits

Illegal drug smuggling inevitable, BoC admits | Daily Tribune

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said stopping illegal shipments, including drugs like kush, is a challenging task due to the continuous demand in the country.

This revelation comes in the wake of a significant discovery at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), where BoC personnel seized P29.5 million worth of dried marijuana from Thailand on Wednesday.

“It cannot be avoided because of the demand, and they can get it openly from other countries. So, we can continue to be vigilant and widen our intelligence network for more information with an end goal of stopping the smuggling of illegal drugs,” said Alvin Enciso, director of BoC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), in a Viber interview Thursday.

Enciso highlighted the agency’s dedication to collaborating with international partners in the fight against contraband.

“Our seizure cases, including recent drug busts, are shared with the World Customs Organization-Regional Intelligence Liaison Network, Asia Pacific (WCO-RILO AP) through the Customs Enforcement Network,” he said, underscoring the BoC’s proactive stance against illegal activities.

In its latest operation at the MICP, a 100 percent physical examination led to the discovery of 74 boxes containing dried marijuana in the shipment consigned to Philippians 419 Export and Import GEN MDSE CORP that arrived on 22 April.

Upon inspection by agents of the CIIS-MICP, three boxes contained 21,071 grams of marijuana with an estimated street value of P29,499,400.

Enciso said physical examinations were done on 19, 23 and 24 April after the CIIS-MICP office received “derogatory information” that the shipment contained illegal drugs.

“Based on the report from our field station at the MICP, the shipment was declared to contain only household items, shoes, and motor parts from Thailand. We so far opened three boxes out of the 74 boxes found, and now we have positive confirmation of the presence of marijuana,” he said.

He added that the first box contains approximately 6,400 grams of dried marijuana packed in 24 plastic pouches; the second box contains around 9,771 grams packed in 42 plastic bags; and the third box contains 4,900 grams packed in 22 plastic pouches.

The three consolidated boxes are consigned to Wilma Bulahagui and Erickson Bulahagui.

Clear message

Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy hopes that the operation and previous ones send a clear message to the unscrupulous individuals, groups, and organizations behind the modus.

“This should serve as a warning that not only are we going to seize the products, but we are going to make arrests, too, and prosecute at the fullest extent of the law. We will hold smugglers and their partners accountable and pursue aggressive prosecution of these cases,” Uy added.