Authorities block P20.7M ketamine smuggling in Clark

Authorities have blocked the entry of approximately 4,140 grams of suspected ketamine valued at P20.7 million from an inbound shipment from Amsterdam, the Netherlands at the Port of Clark.

In a statement issued on 6 October 2026, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Clark said that they intercepted the illegal shipment that was bound for Valenzuela City.

The operation was carried out jointly with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID).

The shipment underwent regular customs clearance procedures but was flagged after suspicious images were detected through the BOC’s X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP), prompting a full physical examination.

Declared as a “Compact Ceramic Fan,” the shipment was found to contain seven transparent plastic bags filled with a white crystalline substance suspected to be ketamine weighing approximately 4,140 grams.

Initial screening using a spectrometer yielded a “Special K” reading, indicating the possible presence of ketamine. Representative samples were subsequently turned over to PDEA for laboratory analysis and confirmatory testing.

The operation was carried out in through the coordinated efforts of the Enforcement and Security Service–Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (ESS-CAIDTF), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), and X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP).

District Collector Jairus S. Reyes commended the vigilance of Customs personnel and the strong coordination among partner law enforcement agencies. Under the leadership of Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, the BOC continues to strengthen its enforcement efforts and border protection measures across the country’s ports of entry.