Some P5.6-million worth of illegal drugs hidden inside “church packages” were seized by authorities during a drug interdiction operation at the courier warehouse inside Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat City, Pampanga, on 24 April 2026.
According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID), composed of the NBI Pampanga District Office (PAMDO), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and Philippine National Police (PNP), conducted the operation.
The task force examined a brown package declared as “1 X File with Documents” and, upon opening, discovered two self-sealing transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
The items weighed a total of 710 grams and had an estimated market value of P4,828,000.00. Records show that the package was sent from an address in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to a church in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
On the same date, a second package declared to contain “CEACO Puzzles 500 pieces 4 included Food Trucks” was opened. Inside was one self-sealing transparent plastic package, suspected to contain illegal drugs, specifically Kush.
The items had a total weight of 540 grams and an estimated market value of P810,000.00. As per records, the parcel was sent from a residential house in Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, United States of America, to a condominium in Pasig, Philippines.
Importation, dispensing, and delivering dangerous drugs is an illegal act under Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.” The seized items were marked, weighed, and brought to the BOC for further testing by the PDEA.