The shabu concealed inside tamarind balls were intercepted by government authorities.
FOUR inbound parcels intercepted at Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) contained 1,676 grams of shabu found in a package from Mexico and concealed in a ‘tamarind ball’ with an estimated value of P11.4 million.
This as government operatives intercepted illegal drugs in two outbound and four inbound parcels totaling P17.04 million which were turned over to the PDEA for proper disposition.
The Bureau of Customs NAIA (BOC NAIA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) conducted the operation on December 9.
Two shipments bound for New Zealand, declared as “Kix Shield Thick Foam” and “Kix Shield for Taekwondo,” contained a white crystalline substance wrapped in black duct tape and aluminum foil with aluminum foil plastic concealed inside the thick foam of the kick shields.
The white crystalline substance, which weighed at least 828.8 grams with an estimated value of P5.6 million, was found in both packages and turned out to be methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
A total of 44 cartridges containing cannabis oil were also found in 3 packages from the USA.
The illegal drugs are now under the custody of the PDEA, and further investigation is underway to apprehend the people behind the illicit trade. They will be charged with violating Republic Act No. 916, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 10863, or the Customs Modernization And Tariff Act (CMTA).
