Photo credit: BOC

In another win for border security, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted six inbound parcels containing kush—a high-grade strain of marijuana—at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City.

The shipments, all from Thailand, were meant for various recipients in the Philippines but were flagged during a routine inspection. With help from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), authorities uncovered a total of 3,231 grams of kush, valued at around P4.52 million.

These illegal drugs have since been handed over to PDEA for investigation. The individuals behind the shipments could face charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165) and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (RA 10863).

BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio emphasized the agency's commitment to keeping the country’s borders drug-free. “The Bureau of Customs remains relentless in its efforts to secure the country’s borders against illegal drugs, which pose great risks to our countrymen’s health and safety.”

Under District Collector Atty. Yasmin O. Mapa’s leadership, BOC-NAIA continues to tighten its screening and enforcement measures, ensuring high-risk shipments don’t slip through the cracks. With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pushing for stricter border security, expect BOC to stay on high alert against drug smuggling operations.

This latest bust is a strong reminder: authorities are watching, and they’re not backing down