CONTRABAND. Customs officers discover ecstasy tablets concealed in pet food cans that arrived from Paris, France at the Port of Clark in this undated photo. The BOC-Port of Clark on Monday (Nov. 28, 2022) said it has turned over to PDEA some PHP12.5 million worth of illegal drugs it has intercepted from shipments that arrived from March to November this year. (Photo courtesy of BOC-Port of Clark)
MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Clark on Monday said it has turned over PHP12.5 million worth of illegal drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
In a statement, Port of Clark Collector John Simon said these narcotics were turned over to PDEA on Nov. 25.
The contraband was from at least 12 shipments that arrived at the port from March to November this year.
The illegal drugs were discovered after undergoing mandatory X-ray inspection, profiling incoming shipments, intensified intelligence capabilities, and continuous coordination with PDEA and other counterparts.
These included 4,102 pieces of ecstasy tablets worth PHP6.9 million discovered in a shipment marked as pet food from Paris, France; kush worth PHP4.3 million from California in the United States which was declared as fishing net; PHP672,000 worth of kush declared as prescription medicines from Quebec, Canada; PHP390,000 worth of kush from Alberta, Canada declared as "candy toys"; 346 marijuana capsules; five grams of ketamine; 37 pouches of "marijuana gummies"; 310 grams of kush and other marijuana products.
Forfeiture decisions were released for violation of Sections 118 (g), 119 (d), and 1113 par. f, i & l (3 & 4) of Republic Act (RA) 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to Section 4 of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022.
Simon, meanwhile, recognized the vigilance of the port’s personnel in protecting the border against the entry of illegal drugs.
He also acknowledged the strengthened cooperation with the local government units and partner agencies in the BOC's border security campaign. (PNA)
