Customs seizes P120 million worth of shabu in Clark
HIDDEN IN CHAIRS. The Bureau of Customs discovers shabu hidden in packages declared as chairs. Photo from the Bureau of Customs
MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized 17.7 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with an estimated street value of P120.36 million.
The BOC said in a statement on Monday, June 11, that its personnel at the Port of Clark in Pampanga seized the shabu last Thursday, June 7.
The shabu was hidden in packages declared as chairs and bar stools, which arrived from California.
The BOC said the packages were consigned to "Christian Frias, Robert Nazareno, and Dominic Gallardo of Quezon City," as well as "Gina Santiago of Taguig City." The senders were "Rania Frias, Maria Nazareno, Vanessa Gallardo, and Rania Fernandez."
A controlled delivery operation was then conducted by the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Interdiction Task Force (CAIDTF) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Central Luzon office on Friday, June 8, leading to the arrest of a certain Everlyn Lunzaga who received the package consigned to Nazareno.
Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said they suspect that international drug cartels sent the packages.
"Only recently, we put up several x-ray machines at the 3 terminals of NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) to stop incidents of airport smuggling. Because of the stricter border protection in NAIA, perhaps the drug smugglers are now diverting their smuggled and contraband goods [to] other airports such as Port of Clark," added Lapeña.
The BOC said P195.16 million worth of illegal drugs have been seized in Clark, so far, in June alone. (READ: Calida on drug smuggling in PH: 'We cannot police an archipelago') – Rappler.com
