The Bureau of Customs (BOC) was named the top drug-busting agency in the country by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), outperforming 58 other national law enforcement agencies.
BOC’s Enforcement Group (EG) was chosen by PDEA during ceremonies held on December 4. It bested the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Coast Guard, National Police Commission, Dangerous Drugs Board, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Ports Authority, and all members of the National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.
“Drug traffickers have become more inventive nowadays, and they have developed various schemes to sneak into or (go) out of the country these dangerous and controlled drugs,” EG deputy commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said in a statement.
From January to November 2015, a total of P198.898 million worth of dangerous drugs, pharmaceuticals, controlled precursors and essential chemicals were nabbed by EG’s drug-specialized team Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force.
Meanwhile, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Inter Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, of which BOC is a member, arrested Venezuelan Andres Rodriguez on December13 after finding in his stomach 92 pellets each containing about 13 grams of alleged cocaine. The 39-year old arrived in NAIA from Abu Dhabi. The drugs have a street value of around P6.6 million.
