P2.4-M worth of illegal drugs declared as animal food seized in Pampanga -- NBI
Dangerous drugs worth P2.4 million have been seized in Mabalacat City, Pampanga after being shipped into the country and declared as animal food, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Thursday, June 26.
The NBI said the dangerous drugs were seized at a United Parcel Service (UPS) warehouse inside the Clark Freeport Zone during an interdiction operation conducted by Clark International Airport Inter Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (CRK-IADITG) which is composed of the NBI Pampanga District Office (NBI-PAMDO), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
However, the NBI said that no suspects were arrested during the operation.
Seized were 1,003 pieces of MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy), two transparent plastic pouches containing Methylmethcathinone, and 156 grams of Ketamine, it said.
“All of these substances are classified as dangerous drugs under Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and have a total estimated market value of P2,448,900,” it also said.
It added that the operation stemmed from a shipment that was flagged on suspicion of carrying illegal drugs which were concealed and declared as animal food.
“Upon opening the parcel, there were three (3) transparent plastic pouches containing pink and purple tablets, two (2) transparent plastic pouches containing an off-white crystalline substance, one (1) transparent plastic pouch containing a white powdery substance, and two (2) transparent plastic pouch containing white crystalline substances,” the NBI said.