P5.7M suspected 'shabu' seized in Clark, Pampanga

Some P5.7 million worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) concealed in dress buttons were seized by authorities in Port of Clark in Pampanga.

The Bureau of Customs said the shipment carrying the drug paraphernalia arrived in the country on February 14 from Harare, Zimbabwe. It was declared to contain dresses, but upon physical examination, customs personnel recovered 838.68 grams of white crystalline substance inside 255 dress buttons and on the side walls of the carton boxes.

The samples were taken to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for chemical laboratory analysis and were confirmed to be shabu.

Based on the investigation of PDEA, the shipment was addressed to a Filipina from a foreign national, according to Sandra Aguinaldo’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

“The two parcels were sent by her boyfriend sa abroad... Ongoing pa po yung investigation namin. Nakikipagtulungan po itong ating consignee but unfortunately lately hindi na po namin siya macontact... Sinabi po niya sa aming mga kooperatiba na may umaaligid aligid po sa kanyang bahay,” said PDEA Regional Office 3 public information officer Glenn Mangalindan-Guillermo.

(The two parcels were sent by her boyfriend from abroad. Our investigation is still ongoing. This consignee is cooperating with us, but unfortunately lately we have not been able to contact her. She earlier said that someone was staking her house.)

The PDEA advised the public to be vigilant and not accept parcels if they did not know where it came from.

“Yan po ay modus ngayon makikipag-girlfriend, nagliligawan sa social media yung mga Filipina then magpapadala ng mga packages then may mga instructions. Pagmayroon po tayong ganyang mga insidente, tumawag po tayo sa authoridad at ipaalam po natin na mayroon tayong nareceive na kahina hinalang parcel,” Mangalindan-Guillermo explained.

(That is the modus. They are courting Filipinas on social media then send packages to them with instructions. If this happens, call the authorities and let them know that you received a suspicious parcel.)

This month, the BOC also seized over 1,000 grams of cocaine concealed in a wheelchair.

The BOC has observed that unscrupulous individuals are becoming more “creative” in hiding illegal drugs.

“Nandyan yung tinago sa speakers, tinago sa mga toys, tinago sa kung saan saan yung klase ng operation na nawitness at nakita namin dito suggests that this is not a simple act by some individuals but more or less suggest that we might be looking at some syndicated group,” said BOC assistant commissioner and spokesperson Atty. Vincent Philip Maronilla.

(Some were hidden in the speakers and toys. We are seeing that this is not a simple act by some individuals, but more or less suggests that we might be looking at some syndicated group.) —Sundy Locus/ Richa Noriega/ VAL, GMA Integrated News