₱278M worth of ‘Afghan meth’ seized at Manila port

Authorities on Tuesday seized P278 million worth of shabu from Afghanistan that was declared as a shipment of marble. 

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Bureau of Customs (BOC) commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno inspected the seized illegal drugs at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

“Nagkaroon nito, first time ng tinatago doon sa false sidings, supposed to be yung flooring pati doon sa likod. Ibig sabihin nasa loob ng mga bakal na containers yung mga shabu na 131 packages at ito ay magkakaroon ng P278 million worth street value nitong shabu na ito,” Nepomuceno said in a press briefing. 

(This is the first time we’ve seen it hidden in false sidings, supposedly in the flooring as well as the back. This means the 131 packages of shabu were inside the steel containers, and these shabu will have a street value of P278 million.) 

“Ngayon lang namin naranasan yung ganitong klaseng pagpapasok ng illegal drugs, ng shabu, na nakatago sa mismong boxes ng mga iniimport nila. Ang deklarasyon nito ay marble galing Afghanistan. Subalit, may marble nga, nakatago naman sa mga bakal yung mga shabu,” he added. 

(This is the first time we’ve experienced this method of smuggling illegal drugs, shabu, hidden within the actual boxes of their imports. They were declared as marble from Afghanistan. However, while there was indeed marble, the shabu was hidden inside the steel.)

In a statement, the BOC said they have recovered 41 kilos of suspected shabu so far from the shipment.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Undersecretary Major General Isagani Nerez said that it is not the first time that law enforcers flagged illegal drugs from Afghanistan.

“It’s ‘Afghan meth’ ang tawag natin…. It’s not the first time na mayroon tayong nahuli na meth from Afghanistan,” he said. 

(We call it ‘Afghan meth’... It’s not the first time we have intercepted meth from Afghanistan.) 

The BOC said it is eyeing to procure advanced X-ray machines to beef up its detection capabilities of illegal drugs. 

“Nagbigay na ako ng utos, actually noong November pa last year, na mag-upgrade ang BOC, mas pagandahin pa yung aming scanning capabilities, X-ray machines,” Nepomuceno said. 

(I already issued an order, actually as far back as November last year, for the BOC to upgrade and further improve our scanning capabilities and X-ray machines.)

“Karamihan sa mga X-ray machines natin, although dependable, nagpapahanap ako ng kung ano pa ‘yung mas makabago, mas madaling makakita ng organic or chemicals… Makikita sa X-ray kaagada ‘yun with AI capabilities,” he added. 

(Most of our X-ray machines, although dependable – I am looking for something more advanced, something that can easily detect organics or chemicals... those would be seen on the X-ray immediately with AI capabilities.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News