The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Airport Interdiction Unit (PDEA-AIU) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) through the Port of Clark, have intercepted a package from London containing cocaine and ecstasy bound for Dumaguete City.
The operation stemmed from a derogatory information that the parcel, will arrive last 25 April. A thorough physical inspection of the package was required after a K-9 sniff test performed by PDEA agents and customs inspectors on 28 April produced positive results for illegal drugs.
The package contained five vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packs, travel kits, and first aid kits. After more investigation, it was discovered that two vacuum-sealed parcels containing a white powdery substance that was suspected of being cocaine weighed about 128 grams and had an estimated standard value of P678,400.
Furthermore, a yellowish powdered substance suspected of being methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or “Ecstasy” was discovered in three vacuum-sealed transparent packs. The packs weighed roughly 208 grams and had an estimated standard value of P884,000.
Samples were collected and sent right away to PDEA for chemical analysis, which verified that the substances were cocaine and MDMA, two harmful drugs classified under the modified Republic Act RA 9165. A Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued against the shipment for violation of sections 118(g), 119(d), and 1113 paragraphs (f) and (l) of Republic Act 0863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to RA 9165.
BoC-Clark District Collector Jairus S. Reyes emphasized the importance of vigilance and close inter-agency coordination in this operation, as well as reaffirming BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio’s directive to strengthen border protection and intelligence-driven enforcement efforts.