P4.9M in ecstasy pills seized at Manila post office

0
1155
A package containing 2,878 tablets of ecstasy worth P4.893 million was seized by authorities on February 15. Photo from the Bureau of Customs.
  • An individual was arrested on Feb 15 after claiming a package containing 2,878 ecstasy tablets worth P4.893 million
  • The package was misdeclared as containing clothes and shoes
  • The 12 packs of ecstasy tablets were discovered concealed inside the walls of the package

Authorities apprehended on February 15 an individual who claimed a package containing 2,878 tablets of ecstasy worth P4.893 million at the Manila Central Post Office.

The claimant, a certain Ron-Ron Salonga from Port Area, Manila, was immediately nabbed by authorities after claiming the package on February 15, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said in a statement.

The apprehension was the result of a controlled delivery operation conducted by BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG).

Records showed that the package was declared to contain “2 Women Clothes, 1 Kids Clothes & 1 Shoes” and was sent by a certain Mary Lumbao Edward from The Netherlands. It was consigned to a resident of Malate, Manila.

Upon further profiling and examination and K-9 sweeping, 12 packs of ecstasy tablets were discovered concealed inside the walls of the box/packaging. Chemical laboratory analysis from PDEA showed the tablets were positive for ecstasy, a known party drug.

The illegal drugs are now in the custody of PDEA, as is the claimant, who is facing criminal charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, in relation to Sections 118 (Prohibited Importation), 1113 (Goods Liable for Seizure and Forfeiture) and 1401 (Unlawful Importation) of RA 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

A total of 23,482 ecstasy tablets worth P42.27 million were seized by BOC-NAIA with PDEA and NAIA-IADITG in 2020. BOC NAIA last year also condemned and destroyed 373.19 tons of unsafe and other hazardous goods, including unregistered medicines and pharmaceuticals without Food and Drug Administration permits and clearances.

Of the estimated P9.746 billion worth of smuggled goods that BOC collection districts seized in 2020, P1.85 billion were from drugs seizures.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR