Authorities seized more than P3 million worth of shipment of a prohibited party drug and arrested its claimant during a controlled delivery operation in Baguio City on Thursday.
Customs agents assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport went to Baguio City and arrested Elisa Millare who claimed the package containing 1,783 tablets of ecstasy at the mail station in Baguio around 12:30 p.m.
The bureau conducted the controlled delivery operation with the help of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group resulting in the claimant’s arrest.
The shipment arrived at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City on July 13 from Neuss, Germany and was misdeclared as bed sheet, children’s pencil, and a pair of shoes, a clear case of technical smuggling.
Prior to the entrapment operation, Customs placed the shipment under profiling and examination. The authorities discovered the bed sheets where the illegal drugs with estimated street value of P3,031,100.00 are concealed.
The claimant will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Sections 1400 and 1401 in relation to Section 119 of RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“This serves as a warning to all individuals and entities engaged in unscrupulous activities that the Bureau of Customs with other law enforcement agencies will continue to protect the nation against illegal importations and ensure that violators of law will be held accountable,” said Port of NAIA collector Carmelita Talusan.
Authorities said criminal syndicates still dared to smuggle prohibited drugs using the Philippine postal system.
Six months ago, Customs NAIA agents also intercepted a smuggled shipment of ecstasy worth P4.9 million and arrested one Ronron Salonga after claiming the package at the Manila Central Post Office.
Salonga’s package containing 2,878 tablets of ecstasy was also misdeclared as women and kid clothes and shoes, and was sent by a certain “Mary Lumbao Edward” from the Netherlands.
The series of drug smuggling prompted the Customs – NAIA to intensify its campaign by subjecting more parcels to rigid document profilings, x-ray scanning and physical examinations.
Customs personnel have been apprehending illegal drug shipments in compliance to the directive of Bureau of Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrrero to secure the borders and the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.