Kush worth P16M intercepted

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) reported on Friday that several grams of dried marijuana, or “kush” and ketamine tablets concealed in various parcels, approximately amounting to P16 million, were discovered at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.

In a statement, the BoC said the interception of the substances was led by the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The operations resulted in the seizure of approximately 3,025 grams of ketamine valued at P15,125,000 and 858 grams of high-grade kush worth P1,201,200.

It also revealed that a parcel from the United States contained 240 grams of kush and another from Thailand with 618 grams of kush — both concealed in boxes.

Meantime, the parcel from Poland hid five plastic bags of ketamine inside a coffee maker.

The subject parcels underwent X-ray scanning, where suspicious images were detected, prompting a physical examination and during the inspection, authorities uncovered the illegal substances hidden within the packages.

No one claimed the subject parcels through the filing of a corresponding Goods Declaration within the 30-day regulatory period and deemed them implicitly abandoned.

District collector Yasmin Mapa stressed the critical role of intelligence and collaboration in seizing contraband.

“These operations reflect our commitment to proactive enforcement and coordination with our law enforcement counterparts in stopping illegal drugs at the border,” said Mapa.