Hemp gummy candies among P2M worth of illegal drugs seized at NAIA

Some P2 million worth of illegal drugs in five separate packages were confiscated by the Bureau of Customs-Port of NAIA in Pasay City.

Included in the seized items is a shipment of hemp gummy candies, the first ones encountered by BOC-NAIA, authorities said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

An officer of the Bureau of Customs on Wed., April 17, 2019, shows hemp gummy candies seized by authorities. Tina Panganiban-Perez

This was part of two shipments that also contained dried marijuana leaves that were declared as pancake mix and lotion from the USA.

The shipments were consigned to Steven Marple of Antique and Betty Lu of LCG Marketing in Cagayan de Oro.

Customs officials announce on Wed., April 17, 2019, that they have intercepted shipments of illegal drugs such as hemp gummy candies, marijuana, shabu, ecstasy, and cocaine. Tina Panganiban-Perez

Also confiscated were .027 kgs of shabu concealed in an envelope and was intended to be shipped by a certain J.C. Crisostomo of Marilao, Bulacan to one Abraham Salas Jr. of Bahrain; 0.54 kgs of ecstasy worth P1.7 million concealed in a printer from The Netherlands and was consigned to a certain Cristian Chan of San Juan, Metro Manila; and .0135kgs of cocaine declared as toys from the USA by the consignee identified as Jose Maristela of Makati City.

These drug apprehensions were profiled by Customs examiners, X-rayed and  coordinated with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the BOC said.

The drugs have been turned over to the PDEA on Wednesday at the NAIA Customhouse in Pasay City.

To date, the BOC said the Port of NAIA has had a total of 39 drug busts since 2018 amounting to P370 million.

For the first three months of the year, nine drug seizures were conducted by the Customs officers and operatives of the port.

"BOC-NAIA will continue to support the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and will follow the directives of Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero to continuously strengthen vigilance in airports to ensure border security," it said. —With a report from Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News