More than P25 million illegal drugs, rare Agarwood seized at Clark, NAIA

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced the confisation of more than 5 kilos of ‘Ketamine’ a synthetic illegal drugs worth more than P25.31 million hidden inside a shipment of ‘data cable roll’ from Belgium.

In a belated press statement last August 5, the BOC said the shipment had arrived at the Port of Clark last July 24 and was only actually examined last July 30.

A 19-kilogram wooden cable reel, suspiciously covered with spray foam, was found to contain six transparent plastic pouches of a white crystalline substance. Laboratory testing confirmed it to be Ketamine, classified as a dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165, as amended.

District Collector Jairus S. Reyes added that last July 29, they also confiscated another shipment of Ketamine from Austria declared as “documents” weighing 52 grams and valued at P260,000.00

On the same day, a separate shipment of ‘Ecstasy’ weighing 52 grams and valued at P265,000, from Paris, France, declared as “animal food” was also confiscated.

At the Port of NAIA, District Collector Alexandra Lumontad said her alert operatives last July 30 confiscated an outbound cargo of ‘Agarwood,’ a rare wood with an estimated value of P31.6 million.

The shipment, which was declared as “Mahogany Wood Hand Curving Design” and “Pack of Dried Sibukaw Woodstick,” was subjected to a thorough physical examination.

Inspecting officers discovered that it contained agarwood—one of the most expensive and highly sought-after woods worldwide due to its use in perfumery, traditional medicine, and luxury products.

The operation was carried out with the assistance of the Environmental Protection Compliance Division (EPCD) under the BOC Enforcement Group.

In another incident, Coll. Lumontad also informed Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno of the confiscation of six inbound parcels of high-grade marijuana or ‘Kush,’ at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City.

The official said the parcels were consigned to different recipients.

Lumontad placed the value of the illegal drugs at more than P2.25 million.