Nearly 10.5 kilograms of high-grade marijuana, valued at P17,169 million, was discovered hidden in a one-seater sofa during a joint examination conducted by the Bureau of Customs (BoC) at Clark.

Initial reports disclosed that the shipment arrived on 6 August and was declared as two pieces of “One Seat Sofa.” It was flagged for scrutiny by BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) after revealing strange images.

A K-9 sniff test indicated the presence of prohibited narcotics. During the physical check, officials discovered 23 self-sealing transparent plastic sachets containing dried leaves and fruiting tops believed to be high-grade marijuana or “Kush.”

Samples were sent to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for chemical laboratory examination, which confirmed that the compounds were marijuana, a harmful narcotic under Republic Act 9165, as amended.

In light of the shipment’s violations of sections of Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to Republic Act 9165, a warrant of seizure and detention was immediately issued against the shipment.

District Collector Erastus Sandino B. Austria expressed his gratitude to the personnel for their unwavering commitment to carrying out the BoC’s directive to stop the spread of illegal narcotics.

The BoC, meantime, vowed to remain firm in its campaign against illegal drug smuggling.