BOC transfers seized illegal drugs to PDEA custody

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña (center) turns over P3,027,570 million worth of seized illegal drugs consisting of five parcels of Marijuana and 1 parcel of ecstasy to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Reg'l Director Ismael Fajardo (right) on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, in Pasay City. The parcels were declared as food additives, handbags, and school supplies from Germany and the United States. Photo by Danny Pata

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday transferred the custody of illegal drugs shipments to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The shipments, seized in July to August, were presented to the media during a briefing by Customs Commissioner Isidro S. Lapeña in Pasay City. Among the seized contraband were ecstasy, marijuana, and cannabis oil.

"'Yung iba medyo malaki na boxes, 'yung iba naman medyo maliit just like 'yung cannabis oil maliit lang," Lapeña noted.

In a separate statement, the BOC said the seized drugs valued at P3.027 million came from Germany and the United States.

"'Yung cannabis oil, it's in a bottle and then naka-carton lang. 'Yung ecstasy nasa smaller box," he added.

The marijuana was of good quality, the BOC official noted. "It looks like itong marijuana na ito ay better quality ... and then pati 'yung pag-process medyo maganda," he said.

"There are other places na marijuana is legalized that's why 'yung kanilang pag-cultivate is better," he said.

Lapeña said the BOC has identified the intended recipients of the contraband but cited only one Allan Mark Dinglasan of Mandaluyong City.

"They did not come to claim. For one reason or another, they did not come and that's why we now have basis ... after these items stayed at the postal office for some time and they did not come. So we deemed it proper to have these opened and we saw that these are really illegal items, illegal drugs," he said.

The BOC earlier discovered the shipments contained illegal drugs when the boxes were run through X-ray machines but waited for the recipients to claim them from the Post Office.

"Of course, kailangan kasi hintayin 'yung mga recepients kung kanino. Hinihintay, and then after a period of time na hindi dumarating, then the law allows the opening and confiscation of such items," he said.

It is now up to the PDEA investigate the matter, Lapeña said.

"That will be up to the PDEA, 'yung mga subsequent actions. These are drugs so it belongs to PDEA 'yung mga subsequent actions," he said. — VDS, GMA News