Medicine bottles containing marijuana seized in Port of Clark
The Bureau of Customs has confiscated three bottles of medicine which turned out to be containing marijuana in a foiled smuggling attempt into the country through the Port of Clark International Airport.
The bottles were inside a parcel that was declared as “over counter drugs for personal use”. When it was subjected to examination, BOC personnel found three 30ML bottles of Cureganics CBD (cannabidiol) Tincture in 250mg, 500mg and 1000mg.
According to the WebMD website, cannabidiol or CBD is a chemical in the cannabis sativa plant. A prescription of CBD is used for seizure disorder, anxiety, muscle disorder, Parkinson's disease and other medical conditions.
Marijuana is still prohibited in the country under Republic Act No. 9165 although there are already moves in the Congress to legalize it at least for medical treatment.
Following the confiscation, the BOC coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region III for the conduct of chemical laboratory analysis which later confirmed that the bottles contain Marijuana.
The bureau acted immediately and issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention by District Collector Alexandra Lumontad against the shipment for violation of Sections 118 (g), 119 (d), 1113 (f) and 1401 of R.A. No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) in relation to R.A. No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The confiscated items were then turned over to PDEA pursuant to Customs Administrative Order No. 03-2020.
In 2020, the Port of Clark seized various marijuana infused products such as CBD creams, vape pens, e-liquid pods and juicy jay hemp.