By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA – Customs authorities intercepted a shipment containing nearly PHP200 million worth of suspected illegal drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Friday.
The shipment, which arrived from Toronto, Canada, was declared as “personal effects” but was found to contain 28.3 kilograms of suspected shabu and 4.7 kilograms of suspected kush, according to the BOC-NAIA.
Authorities also discovered towels and duvets soaked in suspected liquid marijuana, adding to the illicit contents concealed in the shipment.
The package was subjected to intelligence profiling, X-ray inspection and a K-9 examination. The screening procedures produced positive indications of the presence of illegal drugs, prompting a more thorough inspection.
The BOC placed the estimated value of the seized substances at PHP199.72 million.
The bureau said further investigation is being conducted to establish the circumstances surrounding the shipment and identify those responsible.
Charges will be filed once the investigation and the necessary documentation are completed, the BOC said.
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