By Ferdinand Patinio | Philippine News Agency
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday seized over 110 kilograms of suspected shabu worth around P749 million inside four “balikbayan” boxes at the Manila International Container Port in Tondo, Manila.
According to PDEA, the illegal drugs were seized during an interdiction operation conducted at around 11:30 a.m. inside Container Facility Station 3, where the boxes arriving from California and addressed to recipients in Mandaluyong and Quezon City were inspected.
Authorities then discovered at least 106 vacuum-sealed plastic packs filled with white crystalline substances carefully concealed in boxes of cereal, snack packs, and instant noodles.
Initial testing confirmed that the seized substances were methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, the PDEA said, adding that all evidence has been secured and sent for further laboratory analysis and case documentation.
The PDEA said the shipments were packed in multiple layers to avoid detection.
While no suspects have been arrested so far, authorities are now working to identify those behind the shipment and trace any local contacts connected to the smuggling attempt.
“This interdiction is the result of constant vigilance and close coordination among our agencies,” PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez said. “Every time we stop illegal drugs at our ports, we protect countless families and communities from their harmful effects.”
PDEA’s Seaport Interdiction Unit led the operation, with the support of the Regional Office NCR K9 Unit, the PDEA Regional Office NCR Manila District Office, the BOC’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
The operation underscores the government’s efforts to tighten border security and stop the entry of illegal drugs into the country, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to intensify interdiction measures in all ports of entry.
