THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Port of Clark intercepted a significant drug smuggling attempt on May 6, 2025, seizing 1,112 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) valued at ₱7,561,600.
The drugs were cleverly concealed within household items in a shipment originating from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and destined for Bacoor, Cavite City.
Enhanced X-ray scanning by the BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) flagged the parcel for further examination. A subsequent physical inspection revealed fourteen (14) bags of shabu (approximately 538 grams, ₱3,658,400) hidden inside a vacuum cleaner and twelve (12) bags (approximately 574 grams, ₱3,903,200) concealed within a rice cooker.
The shipment also contained assorted undergarments and tea bags.
Laboratory analysis by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed the substance as methamphetamine hydrochloride, a dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165.
District Collector Jairus S. Reyes praised the BOC-Port of Clark personnel and partner agencies for their vigilance, stating the seizure serves as a deterrent to drug traffickers. Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio emphasized the BOC’s role in protecting public health, highlighting that border protection efforts are crucial in safeguarding lives.
The operation underscores the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s intensified border control measures and whole-of-government approach to combating illegal drug trafficking and transnational crime.
