Customs foils shabu shipment at Manila North Harbor
The Bureau of Customs - Manila International Container Port (MICP) foiled on Friday night a shipment from China containing 300 kilos of shabu.
The intercepted drugs, estimated to be worth 1.8 billion pesos, were found inside a 40 ft. container consigned to Wealth Lotus Empire Corporation. These containers which were declared to contain plastic resin arrived on March 17, 2019 at the Manila North Harbor.
Earlier today, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) received intelligence information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that certain shipments aboard the vessel Callao Bridge V145E may contain illegal drugs.
MICP District Collector Atty. Erastus Sandino B. Austria also received on the same day a report from CIIS that the shipment in question may contain drugs after profiling it as one of the shipments discharged from the vessel identified by PDEA.
The District Collector immediately ordered the full examination of the containers in the presence of representatives from the PDEA, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) upon receiving the report from the CIIS.
When the container was inspected, Customs and PDEA found sacks tied with yellow tape which contained items wrapped in clear cellophane and sealed in foil packaging. Upon testing the sample of the subject substance, authorities were able to confirm that the items were shabu .
Based on the report, the intercepted shipment of drugs was processed by customs broker Jane A. Castillo with business address at Sta. Lucia Street, Intramuros, Manila.
“The Bureau is always on the lookout for smuggling attempts, and we take all intelligence information on the existence of drugs seriously” Atty. Austria said. “We inspect shipments just within hours after we receive information that it may contain co n t r ab an d .”
The contents of the intercepted shipment will be inventoried, and the illegal drugs found will be turned over to PDEA for the proper handling of the substance and investigation purposes.
“We have already revoked the customs accreditation of the involved consignee, Wealth Lotus Empire Corporation, and customs broker Castillo. Also, we will also file appropriate criminal and administrative charges against those involved in the importation of illegal-drugs.”
Through strengthened linkages, proper coordination, and intelligence sharing, Customs was able to foil this shipment of illegal drugs, and is confident that it will be able to better guard the Philippine borders from the entry of contraband because of its close partnership PDEA with other agencies.--BOC-PIAD