MANILA, Philippines — Customs authorities intercepted about 1,706 grams of shabu worth ₱11.6 million concealed inside automobile parts in a shipment from South Africa bound for Angeles City.
The Bureau of Customs–Port of Clark, working with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (CRK-IATFAID), uncovered the suspected smuggling attempt after enhanced inspection procedures flagged the shipment.
The cargo had been declared as ordinary car parts and initially went through regular Customs clearance. But an X-ray scan under the BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project showed suspicious images inside the shipment, triggering further examination.
A K-9 sniff test then yielded positive indications for illegal drugs, prompting the assigned Customs examiner to conduct a 100-percent physical inspection of the cargo.
The search uncovered two engine pistons and a tensioner pulley kit that had been used to conceal 17 black and transparent plastic packages containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.
The substance weighed approximately 1,706 grams, with an estimated standard drug value of ₱11,600,800.
An initial test using a Rigaku Spectrometer indicated the presence of methamphetamine. Representative samples were subsequently turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for confirmatory laboratory testing.
The Port of Clark issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) against the shipment for alleged violations of Sections 118(g), 119(d), and 1113 of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to Republic Act No. 9165, as amended, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said the significance of the operation went beyond the peso value of the seizure, stressing that every intercepted shipment represents potentially dangerous drugs prevented from reaching Filipino communities.
"It is not just the value of the seizure that matters. Every interception means more dangerous illegal drugs are prevented from reaching Filipino families and communities,” Nepomuceno said.
District Collector Jairus S. Reyes said the interception underscored the need for Customs personnel to constantly upgrade their skills as smugglers develop increasingly sophisticated concealment techniques.
“We continue to upgrade the training and skills of our Customs frontliners. Their vigilance and expertise remain our strongest defense against evolving smuggling methods,” Reyes said.
