- The Bureau of Customs seized various smuggled items, including medical supplies, worth an estimated P65 million from a warehouse in Binondo, Manila
- The agency also apprehended 240 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, worth P1.632 million
Various smuggled items, including medical supplies, worth an estimated P65 million and 240 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride worth P1.632 million were recently seized in separate occasions by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
BOC-Manila International Container Port’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service and Enforcement and Security Service, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and National Bureau of Investigation, recently conducted an inspection of a warehouse in Binondo, Manila where they discovered the various smuggled items, including lotions, creams, speakers, 3M face masks, and Aidelai facemasks, which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), BOC said in a statement.
Further investigation and inventory is being conducted for possible violation of Section 1400 (Misdeclaration, Misclassification, Undervaluation, in Goods Declaration) of Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Also seized by BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group in a warehouse in Pasay City was a package containing various tea products with 240 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu.
One of the tea product’s packaging was used to conceal a white crystalline substance, suspected as shabu, later confirmed by the PDEA laboratory.
The package was shipped from Malaysia, where the P1.63 billion worth of shabu wrapped in tea packaging and seized on October 31, 2020 also originated.
Declared as “assorted foodstuff”, the package was shipped by a certain Yong Lee Chei and sent to a consignee in Caloocan City.
The package was turned over to PDEA on April 23 for case profiling and build-up against persons responsible, and for possible prosecution for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, in relation to Section 119 (Restricted Importation) and Section1401 (Unlawful Importation) of the CMTA.
