Photo credit BOC

The Port of Clark successfully intercepted an attempt to export P7.507 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride concealed in a shipment declared as a "shaft drive model" bound for New Zealand on January 3, 2024.

The suspicion arose when X-ray Inspection Project personnel identified the export shipment originating from Parañaque City as suspicious. The cargo underwent K9 sniffing and a physical examination, revealing three packs of white crystalline substances weighing 1,104 grams ingeniously concealed inside a seemingly innocent shaft drive.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency's chemical laboratory analysis confirmed the substances as methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as "shabu," categorized as a dangerous drug under R.A. No. 9165.

District Collector Erastus Sandino Austria wasted no time in issuing a warrant of seizure and detention against the subject shipment for violation of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to R.A. No. 9165.

Commending the Port of Clark personnel for their vigilance, Austria emphasized the port's commitment to maintaining stringent customs controls and robust law enforcement to combat the scourge of illegal drug trafficking.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio pledged to ensure that intensified security measures are continually implemented as part of the Bureau's ongoing enhanced anti-illegal drug smuggling campaign.