Customs officers discover ecstasy tablets hidden in boxes of gummy candies and Belgian waffle biscuits at the Port of Clark. (customs.gov.ph)
CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES recently intercepted a parcel containing PHP7.6 million worth of ecstasy tablets concealed in boxes of food items at the Port of Clark.
The shipment, which arrived from Brussels, Belgium and bound for Quezon City, was seized on April 2, Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Clark District Collector Jairus Reyes said in a news release on Wednesday.
The apprehension stemmed from information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regarding the incoming shipment.
A K-9 sniff test conducted by Customs examiners and PDEA operatives yielded positive results for illegal substances, prompting a full physical examination of the parcel.
The inspection revealed seven boxes containing gummy candies and Belgian waffle biscuits, which also concealed 4,491 tablets suspected to be ecstasy or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA),
A PDEA chemical analysis also confirmed the substance to be MDMA, a prohibited drug under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Reyes said a warrant of seizure and detention was issued against the shipment for violations of Section 118(g), Section 119(d), and Section 1113 paragraphs (f), (i), and (l) of RA 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to RA 9165.
“This operation sends a clear and strong message – the Port of Clark will not be a gateway for illegal drugs. Let this be a firm warning to smugglers and consignees attempting to exploit our borders,” he said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio reiterated the BOC’s continued support for the national anti-drug crusade under the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to promote a secure country safe from the menace of illegal drugs. (Ferdinand Patinio)
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