MANILA – Authorities have arrested two recipients of a shipment containing 1.14 kilograms of shabu with an estimated street value of PHP7.87 million in a controlled delivery operation in Bacoor City, Cavite on Tuesday.
In a statement Wednesday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Clark said the operation was conducted with the Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The operation was conducted a day after the shipment containing "gifts and soft toys" arrived from London, United Kingdom on Sept. 26.
The shipment underwent a physical examination after showing suspicious images during an X-ray inspection.
During the physical examination, three blue plastic bags containing white crystalline substance suspected as shabu were found hidden in the package that contains headdresses, a letter, and a yellow-green plastic bag with two pieces of Star Wars plush toy.
The subject shipment was subjected to K9 sweeping which indicated the possible presence of illegal drugs.
The white crystalline powder underwent field testing by the CAIDTF which yielded a positive result for the presence of shabu.
Representative samples were then taken and turned over to PDEA for chemical laboratory analysis which confirmed that the samples are indeed shabu.
A Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued by District Collector Alexandra Lumontad against the subject shipment for violation of Sections 118 (g), 119 (d), and 1113 (f) of the Republic Act (RA) 10863 in relation to Section 4 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
