GOVERNMENT operatives have seized illegal drugs and smuggled diesel worth more than P20 million in separate operations in Bataan and Pampanga provinces.
Elements of the Bureau of Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), also arrested a passenger carrying more than P18 million worth of cocaine inside his luggage at the Clark International Airport.
The arrest of the passenger, a Surinamese, and seizure of the cocaine was based on the information from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) that a suspected drug mule would be arriving in the Philippines via an Emirates airline.
The foreigner, whose name was withheld pending investigations, was nabbed upon arrival at Clark from Dubai via flight EK338.
His luggage underwent X-ray inspection, K9 sniffing, and rigid physical examination, resulting in the discovery of 3,468 grams of white powdered substance suspected to be cocaine. The substance was concealed in 30 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bags wrapped in mesh cloth and blue carbon paper.
Meanwhile, the BOC- Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) seized one a truck and a trailer carrying 40 liters of diesel at Seafront Shipyard and Port Terminal Services Corporation in Barangay Lucanin, Mariveles, Bataan.
The fuel was reportedly intended for loading to vessels Meridian Cinco and MV Seaborne Cargo 7 which are currently undergoing repair services at the said shipyard. Based on the documents obtained, it was revealed that the subject 40 kiloliters of diesel came from Cabtuan, Isabela.
Representatives from Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) took samples of the diesel and conducted fuel marking testing to determine the presence of a fuel marker. The test yielded an initial result of 0% presence of fuel marker.
“It means that the diesel was smuggled because there are no presence of the fuel marker,” she said..
“This latest apprehension is a result of our increased vigilance and strengthened intelligence gathering as means of guarding our borders, especially now that we are seeing our tourism getting back to normal,” said district collector Elvira Cruz.
