Photo By: Bureau of Customs
Clark Freeport – In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify the national campaign against illegal drugs, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Clark, in close coordination with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID), successfully intercepted five (5) parcels containing approximately 4.992 kilograms of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or “shabu,” with an estimated street value of ₱33.945 million.
The interception was made possible through a series of stringent profiling and inspection procedures. The shipments initially underwent X-ray scanning by the BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), which revealed suspicious images. This was further validated by a K-9 sniff test conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), prompting a 100% physical examination by Customs personnel. All parcels were subsequently confirmed to contain white crystalline substances suspected to be illegal drugs.
The first shipment, arriving on March 30, 2026 from South Africa and declared as “Air Filters,” was bound for Batangas City. Inspection revealed four (4) plastic pouches concealed inside air filters, weighing approximately 2,004 grams and valued at ₱13.627 million.
The second parcel, which arrived on March 31, 2026 from Uganda and declared as “Textbooks and Briefcase,” was bound for Dasmariñas City. Authorities discovered 582 grams of suspected shabu hidden inside a leather case with carbon paper concealment, with an estimated value of ₱3.957 million.
Meanwhile, two separate parcels from Zimbabwe that arrived on April 2, 2026 and both declared as “Documents,” were bound for Las Piñas City. Upon inspection, Customs officers found concealed packages inside leather cases wrapped in carbon paper, with a combined weight of 2,170 grams and an estimated value of ₱14.756 million.
The fifth parcel, which arrived on April 8, 2026 from Delaware, USA and declared as “Polyester Clothing,” was bound for Taguig City. It yielded approximately 236 grams of suspected shabu hidden inside a box, with an estimated value of ₱1.604 million.
Photo By: Bureau of Customs
Initial laboratory screening using a Rigaku Spectrometer confirmed all seized substances as Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, a dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165, as amended. Representative samples have been forwarded to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for confirmatory analysis.
A Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) was issued against all shipments for violations of Sections 118(g), 119(d), and 1113 paragraphs (f), (i), and (l) (3 and 4) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to R.A. 9165.
BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno underscored the agency’s commitment to technology-driven enforcement, stating that advanced scanning systems and skilled personnel remain vital in detecting sophisticated concealment methods.
Port of Clark District Collector Jairus S. Reyes likewise reaffirmed the Port’s strong stance against smuggling, emphasizing continued vigilance in protecting the country’s borders.
The Bureau of Customs reiterates its firm commitment to safeguarding national borders and protecting the Filipino public from the dangers posed by illegal drugs.