P7.56-M shabu concealed inside household items seized

The Bureau of Customs Port of Clark (BoC-Clark) has seized 1,112 grams of “shabu” with an estimated street value of P7,561,600 from a shipment from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and headed for Bacoor, Cavite City.

The shipment, which arrived in the country last 6 May was flagged for physical examination by the BoC’s X-ray Examination Project. It included many undergarments, a rice cooker, tea bags and a vacuum cleaner.

Upon closer examination, the authorities discovered that inside the vacuum cleaner were 14 tape-sealed transparent plastic bags wrapped in brown packaging tape. A white crystalline material suspected to be shabu was found inside the bags, weighing about 538 grams and estimated to be worth P3,658,400.

Additionally, 12 tape-sealed transparent plastic bags containing white crystalline substance were also found inside the rice cooker. The packages weighed about 574 grams and were believed to be worth P3,903,200.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) laboratory analysis revealed that the submitted samples contained methamphetamine hydrochloride, a hazardous narcotic under the modified terms of Republic Act 9165.

The collaboration between the BoC and PDEA-Airport Interdiction Unit in this operation shows not only the agency’s operational vigilance but also the increased border control measures backed by the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which promotes a whole-of-government strategy to combat illegal drug trafficking and transnational crime.

District Collector Jairus S. Reyes commended the efforts of BoC-Port of Clark staff and other agencies, saying, “This interdiction serves as a clear deterrent to those who attempt to exploit our borders for illegal drug trafficking.”