The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) its biggest seizure of dangerous drugs to date, intercepted at the Surface Mail Exchange Department (SMED) in Delpan, Port Area, Manila.
In a statement, Customs commissioner Isidro Lapeña said seized were five parcels containing various kinds of dangerous drugs with an estimated total value of P128.932 million.
“The price could even double because we only based our estimates on the available price as seen from the internet. This will even be higher when sold in the black market,” Lapeña added.
All parcels came from Pakistan and arrived on two different dates at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) Warehouse in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). CMEC then forwarded the parcels to SMED for proper examination.
The first four boxes arrived on January 4.
One parcel consigned to Peter Parcon, with address at 415 Pascual St., San Dionisio, Paranaque City, was seized after BOC agents found 37,820 tablets of Valium, 1,290 tablets of Temazepam, and 6.37 kilograms of unlabeled tablets. A certain Nasrin Akhtar was identified as the sender.
Another box sent by one Qaiser Mehmood Poutt and consigned to Jocelyn Villarino was also seized after customs personnel discovered 20,600 tablets of Valium, 8,990 tablets of Pinix (Alprozalam), 5,990 tablets of Pinix, 1,980 tablets of Stilnox (Zolpidem), and 8.62 kilograms of unlabeled tablets. The parcel was physically examined after it yielded suspicious x-ray images.
Two more boxes of various medicines suspected to be dangerous drugs were sent by a certain Zahid Hussain and consigned to a Rosalie Rosales. The parcels were seized after x-ray scanning and physical examination. BOC agents found 64,450 tablets of 10mg Valium inside the parcels.
Customs examiners also discovered another parcel containing 5,990 tablets of Mogadon, 19,790 tablets of 10mg Valium, and 16,790 tablets of 5mg Valium. The shipment declared as holding garments arrived on January 10 and was sent by someone named Imran Abbas. It was consigned to a Lucy Marpuri and a Dang Solvino.
The parcels were intercepted through the joint efforts of BOC postal examiners and Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Taskforce operatives.
The parcels were seized for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to Republic Act (RA) No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
The consignees will also face charges for unlawful importation of various pharmaceutical products listed under RA 9165.
“We have been warning these illegal traders and importers. We will give you a hard time. Stop these attempts of smuggling drugs to the country. The Bureau of Customs remains on guard against all forms of illegal importations,” Lapeña said.
