ILLEGAL drug worth P3.8 million were intercepted by combined personnel of the Bureau of Customs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, (CUSTOMS-NAIA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) Monday at the DHL Express Express Gateway Warehouse in Pasay City.

Also, the PDEA seized an estimated P1 million worth of opium poppy buds smuggled into the country at the Central Mall Exchange Center (CMEC), said Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group headed by Brigadier General Faro Antonio O. Olaguera.

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio said the illegal drugs were misdeclared as eyelash sets, electric dryers and electric hairbrushes.

Initial investigation said suspicious images were noticed by Customs x-ray officers, and upon physical examinations, the parcel yielded 560 grams of suspected shabu.

Both the shipper and consignee were being investigated by PDEA. Charges for violation of RA 9165 and RA 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization Act (CMTA) will be filed against the shipper and consignee.

Meanwhile, officers from the PNP-DEG Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Division and other members of NAIA-IADITG confiscated an inbound parcel found containing five kilograms of dried opium poppy buds.

An investigation into the persons who brought the drugs to the country is now ongoing. All identified suspects were charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. By Jun Legaspi and Alfred Dalizon

AUTHOR PROFILE

Jun I. Legaspi