BOC Port of Clark seizes P33.945M shabu

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Clark has prevented the entry of approximately P33.945-million worth of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or “shabu” hidden in various items as part of an intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

According to BOC Port of Clark, the confiscation of said illegal drugs was due to the coordination with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID), preventing the entry of approximately 4.992 kilograms of shabu.

A report stated that the parcels were subjected to standard clearance procedures, including X-ray scanning by the BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), showing suspicious images prompting a physical examination.

PDEA's K-9 sniff test further indicated the possible presence of illegal drugs, leading to a 100 percent physical examination by Customs Examiners. All five parcels contained a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.

The first parcel, which arrived on 30 March 2026, from South Africa was bound for Batangas City and declared as “Air Filters.” Upon examination, authorities discovered two air filters and four (4) transparent plastic pouches—two concealed inside each filter—weighing approximately 2,004 grams, with an estimated value of P13,627,000.00.

The second parcel, which arrived on March 31, 2026, from Uganda and was bound for Dasmariñas City. It was declared as “Textbooks and Briefcase.” Examination revealed one black leather case containing two sheets of black carbon paper concealing the contraband. The contraband weighed approximately 582 grams, valued at P3,957,600.00.

The third and fourth parcels, which arrived on April 2, 2026, from Zimbabwe and were both bound for Las Piñas City, were declared as “Documents.” Upon inspection, authorities found black leather cases in each parcel concealing carbon paper-wrapped packages containing white crystalline substances with a combined weight of approximately 2,170 grams and an estimated total value of P14,756,000.00.

The fifth parcel, which arrived on April 8, 2026, from Delaware, USA, and was bound for Taguig City, was declared as “Polyester Clothing.” Inside a brown box, it yielded concealed contraband weighing approximately 236 grams, with an estimated value of P1,604,800.00.

Initial testing using a Rigaku Spectrometer confirmed the substances as Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, a dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165, as amended. Samples from each parcel were submitted to PDEA for confirmatory testing.

A Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) was issued against the shipments for violations of Sections 118(g), 119(d), and 1113 paragraphs (f), (i), and (l) (3 and 4) of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to R.A. No. 9165.