P41M worth of drugs found in parcels at NAIA —BOC

The Bureau of Customs and other authorities seized P41 million in illegal drugs hidden in different international parcels coming into the Philippines through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In a statement on Friday, the BOC said that together with NAIA officials, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine Postal Corporation, they found 39 parcels containing various illegal drugs.

Authorities said that the shipments were flagged after they underwent profiling, x-ray screening, K9 inspection, and physical examination.

Out of the 39 parcels, five were from India. The parcels contained what authorities suspected to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, more commonly known as shabu. Weighing approximately 4,344 grams, the BOC said that the drugs had an estimated street value of P29.53 million.

The remaining packages came from the United States, Spain, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. They contained various illegal drugs, including marijuana and ecstasy.

The marijuana was valued at P8.488 million, while the ecstasy was estimated to cost P3.004 million.

The parcels were bound for various recipients in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Surigao, Antique, and more.

The BOC said that the drugs were turned over to PDEA for further laboratory examination.

“Ang publiko ay makakaasa na mas palalakasin pa ng BOC ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga partner agencies upang matiyak na hindi makakapasok sa bansa ang ganitong uri ng kontrabando," BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.

(The public can expect that the BOC will strengthen cooperation with partner agencies to guarantee that these types of contraband will not enter the country.) —Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News