Bureau of Customs-Port of NAIA (BOC-NAIA) agents have uncovered over P3 million worth of ķetamine "party drugs" from a package declared as "snacks".
Records show that the package arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last May 10, 2021 from Malaysia. Customs examiners found the contents of the parcel suspicious after it was subjected to x-ray scanning and K-9 sweeping.
Upon physical examination, the package yielded 622 grams of ketamine concealed in 15 sachets of white coffee. The value of the illegal drug was pegged at P3,110,000.
Ketamine, also known as "Special K" or "K", was originally created as anesthetics. It is now commonly used as party drugs for its tranquilizing effects.
The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) included the substance on its list of dangerous drugs in 2005 via DDB Regulation No. 3.
Elements of the BOC, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA Interagency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) then carried out a controlled delivery for the ketamine package on Monday, May 17 in Caloocan City.
Kristopher Segumbang, the authorized representative of the consignee, a certain “Nick Dimagiba”, was arrested by the authorities for claiming the package at around 2 p.m.
The arrested claimant and seized illegal drugs are now in the custody of PDEA for case building and criminal prosecution in connection with the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act (RA) 9165, and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act or RA 10863.
It was only last May 11 when operatives from the same unit conducted a controlled delivery that led to the arrest of two claimants of P15.7 million worth of Ecstacy, another type of party drug, at the Quezon City Postal Office.