P58.31M shabu seized in San Andres
CUSTOMS-Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (Customs-NAIA-IADITG) intercepted a shabu shipment worth P58.31 million in San Andres, Manila.
The CUSTOMS-NAIA-IADITG report said the imported shipment from Nigeria containing the illegal drug was declared as “foodstuff” and weighing 8.575 kilos.
The shabu was wrapped in plastic bowls.
Also seized were unknown plant seeds and dried spices. Upon evaluation of import documents and verification, authorities declared the items “illegally imported” into the country without the necessary import permits from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI).
BOC-NAIA immediately coordinated with DA-BPI to check for other possible violations of the subject importation before possible condemnation/disposal by DA-BPI.
BOC-NAIA and BPI likewise coordinated with PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) and NAIA IADITG to verify possible inclusions of illegal drugs in the packages considering that they came from Nigeria, which was previously identified as a possible source of illicit drugs.
Upon 100% physical examination, the operatives of the joint inter-agency units found that the package also contained 8.575 kilos of illegal drugs inside a white plastic bowl concealed in the packages of various dried spices, which were later confirmed through the PDEA Field Test as shabu.
The illegal drugs are now in the custody of PDEA for further investigation for profiling and case build-up against personalities involved for possible prosecution for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in relation to Section 1401 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016.
