Customs agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport intercepted shipments of illegal drugs worth P5.5 million at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.
NAIA Customs district collector Carmelita Talusan said her men in cooperation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confiscated the parcel shipments containing 1,490 tablets of ecstasy, 3,320 tablets of valium and 1,850 grams of high grade kush weeds/marijuana described by the importers as “gifts, letters and snacks”.
The P2.3 million worth ecstasy tablets from Germany was declared as gift and the P2.9 million kush/marijuana from USA were declared as snacks (tortilla chips).
The consignees of the two parcels are from Cavite and San Juan City while the owner of kush/marijuana has been previously apprehended and now in PDEA custody.
Talusan said the shipment of P56,000 worth valium tablets are bound for export to 36 consignees in eight countries (USA, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Germany, Saudi Arabia, France, Sweden, Spain and the United Kingdom) and sent by four different shippers from Parañaque City and Bulacan.
Since Aug. 30, 2017, Customs has also been very proactive and relentless in its effort to combat the smuggling of illegal drugs. The bureau was able to intercept an estimated P3.436 billion worth of illegal drugs and arrested a total of 23 drug personalities.
Talusan said Customs continues to strengthen its coordination with other regulating agencies to secure the Philippine borders and protect the environment from illegal wildlife traders, illegal entry of drugs and other prohibited goods, among others.
“The Bureau of Customs is very much on board in the country’s war against drugs and we will exert our efforts to continue protecting our nation and prevent the use of our ports in the smuggling of illegal drugs into the country,” said Talusan.