The Bureau of Customs seized more than 1,000 ecstasy tablets worth more than P2 million and 56 iguanas at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The confiscated illegal drugs came from the Netherlands through a certain G. Voorthuzen. They were declared as light boxes.
In a separate incident, the BOC intercepted 56 iguanas from Filipino passenger Niel Ryan Kho Dysoco who arrived at the NAIA from Bangkok, Thailand.
The iguanas, which had no proper documentation, were discovered hidden inside Dysoco’s luggage. Authorities said the iguanas were already placed under ‘inhumane conditions” inside black socks while others were put in a bottled water container in an attempt to mislead the authorities.
The seized animals were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Dysoco arrived early morning Friday on board Philippine Airlines PR737 at NAIA Terminal 2.
Dysoco, whose luggages yielded the iguanas, five of which were already dead, will be charged for violating Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
The iguanas will be brought to animal rescue center based in Quezon city for rehabilitation.
In October 2018, Airport and Customs authorities also intercepted a smuggled shipment of at least 12 juvenile (pythons) snakes at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.
The snakes were brought into the country concealed inside a package and “were misdeclared as Taro chips from Indonesia.”
The authorities made the apprehension a day after Customs NAIA officials turned over a shipment of confiscated 250 heads geckos to the Bureau of Animal Industry at the Paircargo warehouse, also in Pasay City.
The market price of newly-hatched snakes ranges from P5,000 to P20,000, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
It added that a full-grown reticulated python snake, which is considered the world’s longest and heaviest snake that usually constrict its prey, can weigh as much as 30-40 kilograms and grow as much as 17 to 18 feet on an average.
The government said that the importation of wildlife species without the necessary permits violates Customs law, Republic Act 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act) and Republic Act No 8485, otherwise known as (The Animal Welfare Act of 1998).
Meanwhile, the shipment of ecstasy were seized by the joint elements of the Port of NAIA and the PDEA at Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.
In 2018, the BOC-NAIA foiled a total of 30 illegal drug shipments in compliance with the directive of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to continuously secure the borders and in support to the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
The Port of NAIA recorded an approximately P 28.381 million worth of ecstasy seizures. This includes 962 pieces of ecstasy from the Netherlands in April, 1,003 pieces of ecstasy from Germany in July, and 14,730 pieces ecstasy from France in August, the highest recorded ecstasy seizure of the port in 2018.
The BOC-NAIA, under District Collector Mimel Talusan, will continue to serve the public and protect the country’s borders against entry and exit of illicit goods.
