SHABU, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, and ketamine worth P43.76 million were recovered from eight abandoned parcels concealing the suspected illegal drugs in handbags, sandals, toys and household items at a mail exchange center in Pasay City, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Tuesday.
The Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA) intercepted the parcels on Oct. 9 at the Central Mail Exchange Center along Domestic Road.
The shipments originated from Mexico, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Malaysia, and Belgium and were bound for various destinations in the Philippines.
The largest haul was suspected shabu weighing about 5,222 grams and valued at P35.51 million.
Authorities also recovered 261 grams of suspected cocaine worth P1.38 million, 482 ecstasy tablets valued at P819,400, 1,047 grams of marijuana Kush worth P1.047 million, and 1,001 grams of ketamine valued at P5.005 million.
The suspected drugs were concealed in handbags, food containers, sandals, a garment steamer, bubble-making toys, and a toy washing machine, according to the BOC.
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the bureau would tighten cargo inspections and strengthen coordination with partner agencies to prevent illegal drugs from entering the country.
The contraband will be brought to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for laboratory examination.
The investigation is ongoing to identify those responsible and determine the appropriate charges based on the laboratory findings and evidence gathered.
The latest P43.76-million seizure adds to a string of major drug interceptions at NAIA in 2026, including shipments worth nearly P200 million in September.
The cases highlight both the scale of attempted drug smuggling and the varied concealment methods authorities have uncovered.
In September 2026, Customs intercepted 28.3 kilograms of suspected shabu and 4.7 kilograms of suspected Kush, valued at P199.72 million, in a shipment from Toronto, Canada, declared as personal effects.
Authorities also found towels and duvets allegedly soaked in liquid marijuana.
In the same month, BOC-NAIA turned over eight abandoned pieces of checked-in luggage containing 94.597 kilograms of suspected marijuana Kush to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). They were worth P141.89 million.
In June 2026, uncovered in 14 abandoned and seized parcels was P56.01 million worth of suspected shabu, Kush, marijuana, vape cartridges, and opium poppy.
The drugs were concealed in ordinary goods, including water filters, a speaker, and food items.
In May 2026, five unclaimed parcels from Canada and France yielded suspected Kush, ecstasy, ketamine, and cocaine worth at least P6.46 million.
The shipments had been declared as consumer goods, gifts, toys, and clothing.
In February 2026, BOC-NAIA intercepted another 126 abandoned inbound parcels containing approximately 37.97 kilograms of suspected marijuana Kush, with an estimated value of P56.95 million, during a series of operations.
The drugs were concealed in shipments declared as clothing, magazines, and other household items.
The seizures underscore how international postal and courier shipments remain a channel that drug smugglers attempt to exploit, using everyday consumer goods to conceal suspected narcotics.
Customs and partner agencies continue to rely on X-ray screening, K-9 inspections and physical examinations to detect suspicious shipments.
