Customs staff takes shabu out of airpot flask. BOC-Clark photos
CLARK FREEPORT – A shipment declared as “flask” yielded some 1.1 grams of shabu with an estimated value of P7,480,000 has been seized by the Port of Clark International Airport.
In a story uploaded in the Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark Facebook page, the shipment came from Lilongwe, Malawi in East Africa and was immediately put on hold and subjected to X-ray inspection “upon receipt of a reliable information that the same contains illegal drugs on Sept. 14, 2021.”
“The X-ray scanning resulted to images of organic substances and therefore subjected to physical examination which revealed five packs of crystalline substances suspected to be methamphetamine hydrochloride concealed inside two units of Electric Air Pot Flask. Samples were taken for the conduct of laboratory analysis which confirmed the same as methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu),” the posted story read.
A warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment has been issued by district collector Alexandra Lumontad for violation of Section 118 (g), 119 (d) and 1113 par. f & l (3 & 4) of R.A. 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to R.A. 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, it furthered.
The seized illegal drugs were turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Sept. 15, pursuant to Customs Administrative Order No. 03-2020.
In a statement, Lumontad said the Port of Clark will further intensify its effort against illegal drugs through consistent coordination with PDEA and the Enforcement and Security Service-Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force in strict profiling of shipments and maximizing the use of X-ray machines “considering the manner of concealment in the previous drug seizures.”
Lumontad was referring to previous incidents when the Port of Clark uncovered illegal drugs inside shipments of air frier and CCTV cameras.
“With the recent drug apprehensions, the Port of Clark remains committed to (Customs) Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero’s anti-illegal drugs campaign and will continuously support the continuing war of President Rodrigo Duterte against prohibited drugs,” the story said. – With BOC-Clark
