P292M in shabu intercepted at Manila container port - PDEA

Authorities intercepted 43 kilos of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” worth over P292 million during an interdiction operation at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila on Monday afternoon, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

In a statement, the PDEA said the interdiction operation was carried out at 3:40 p.m. of May 25 by the PDEA Regional Office – National Capital Region (RO-NCR), International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Service (ICFAS), and Legal and Prosecution Service (LPS), in coordination with the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF).

Law enforcers recovered 129 rectangular packs containing suspected shabu weighing approximately 43 kilograms with a street value of P292.4 million.

An investigation is ongoing to determine the origins of the seized shipment, its intended recipients, and possible links to local and international drug trafficking networks.

“This successful interdiction highlights the unwavering commitment of our law enforcement agencies to protect the country’s borders from the entry of illegal drugs,” said PDEA director general and undersecretary Isagani Nerez.

“Through strengthened inter-agency cooperation and intensified intelligence operations, we will continue to pursue and dismantle drug trafficking syndicates that threaten the safety and welfare of our communities.” he added.

The PDEA stressed that the country’s ports remain under strict monitoring as part of the government’s enhancement of its enforcement capabilities against illegal drugs.

Case build-up operations and profiling activities are ongoing in preparation for the filing of appropriate charges against individuals involved in the attempted smuggling of illegal drugs into the country’s borders. — JMA, GMA News