A HIGHLY placed intelligence report resulted in the seizure of P218.48 million worth of suspected shabu by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The shipment, which arrived from Zimbabwe on April 13 at the Paircargo warehouse facility in NAIA, was initially declared as “machinery muffler” but was profiled by the Intelligence Division after receiving the report.

“Our Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) at NAIA verified the information we received. After which, we tasked the X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) to inspect the dubious images that were then found to be suspicious,” BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio said.

“The examination of the shipment and K-9 sweeping discovered what was described as white crystalline substances hidden inside the mufflers. The initial test conducted on these substances yielded a positive result for the presence of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu,” he added.

CIIS Director Verne Enciso furthered that the substances found totaled 32.13 kilograms, with an estimated street value of P218,484,000.

“This operation is in line with our President’s directive to intensify our anti-drugs smuggling campaign by using our massive international and local networks to determine the source of the illegal drugs trade,” he said.

The operation came after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the inspection of over two tons of shabu worth P13.3 billion in Batangas, where he hailed agents for the operation’s success without resorting to violence.

“This is the biggest shipment of shabu na nahuli natin. But not one person died. Walang namatay, walang nagputukan, walang nasaktan. Basta’t in-operate natin na dahan-dahan,” he said.

The BOC expressed its full support for the current strategy of using intelligence capabilities in the Marcos administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Rubio said the bureau will also keep operating and gathering intelligence, citing President Marcos’ remark that it’s the “only key to bringing down the drug syndicates in the country.”

The package was shipped by a certain Isaac Chikore from Harare, Zimbabwe and consigned to Christine Tigranes from Balingasa Queen, Manila.

Deputy Commissioner for Customs Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy underscored the importance of intelligence gathering in the agency’s operations.

“Key to stopping these shipments is our ability to collect intelligence and the experience and knowledge that our officers have gathered over the years. Our officers are well-trained to identify these shipments that might contain potentially dangerous substances to protect our people,” he said.

The discovery and seizure of 32.13 kilograms of shabu at NAIA led to the arrest of Tigranes. She’s facing charges in violation of Section 118 (prohibited importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration) in goods declaration in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).