(PDEA PHOTO)
Government anti-narcotics agents foiled on Monday, Aug. 4, the transport of a parcel containing around P3.4 million worth of shabu during an interdiction operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) warehouse, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.
In a statement, the PDEA said the outbound parcel, declared as "Books/Picture Frame," was shipped by a certain individual from Cavite and consigned to a recipient in Auckland, New Zealand.
At around 2 p.m., the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) conducted an inspection and discovered a blue book safe that contained a knot-tied transparent plastic bag wrapped in duct tape, carbon paper and aluminum foil where approximately 500 grams of white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu was concealed.
The operatives also found three assorted books, three picture frames, a flower bouquet and one board game in the parcel.
However, no arrests were made but the PDEA said that the interdiction effort has triggered a deeper investigation into the identities of the senders and intended recipients of the parcels.
“All seized drug evidence has been turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service for confirmatory examination, and formal case build-up is already underway for proper filing of charges under Section 4 (Importation of dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, which is punishable by life imprisonment to death and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million, depending on the circumstances,’’ the PDEA noted.