CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga — Authorities intercepted around 1,706 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, valued at Php11.6 million in a shipment of car parts from South Africa bound for Angeles City, Pampanga, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Monday.
The shipment was intercepted by the BOC–Port of Clark in coordination with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID) after an X-ray inspection detected suspicious images inside the declared car parts.
A subsequent K-9 inspection also yielded positive indications for illegal drugs, prompting Customs personnel to conduct a 100-percent physical examination.
Authorities discovered 17 black and transparent plastic packages containing a white crystalline substance concealed inside two engine pistons and a tensioner pulley kit.
Initial screening using a Rigaku Spectrometer indicated the presence of methamphetamine. Representative samples were subsequently turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for confirmatory laboratory examination.
The BOC issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the shipment for alleged violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, or Republic Act No. 10863, in relation to Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
District Collector Jairus S. Reyes said the operation underscored the importance of continuously improving the skills and capabilities of Customs personnel to detect evolving methods of drug smuggling.
BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, meanwhile, said the seizure prevented a significant quantity of illegal drugs from potentially reaching Filipino communities.
The operation highlights the continuing coordination between the BOC–Port of Clark and partner law enforcement agencies in strengthening border protection and the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. (Jason de Asis)