Customs turns over drums of chemicals used in making shabu to PDEA years after seizure
More than 320 drums of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu were recently turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) three years after being seized at Mindanao Container Terminal.
The shipment of hydrochloric acid, a precursor chemical in manufacturing shabu, worth P20 million were seized in 2017 and was only turned over by the Port of Cagayan de Oro to PDEA for destruction on September 8.
It was seized at the Mindanao Container Terminal Sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental for absence of necessary import permit. It came from India and was consigned to Juchem Enterprises.
A warrant of seizure and detention was also filed against the shipment in 2017.
According to the Customs bureau, transferring the custody of the chemicals took three years due to the absence of a facility at the PDEA-Region 10 where the chemicals can be stored pending the filing of cases against the importer for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
After the signing of the memorandum of turn-over, PDEA shall now take charge of the custody of the hydrochloric acid for appropriate handling, the bureau said.
Director Emerson Rosales of PDEA-Region 10 said they will now file a petition for destruction “to ensure the chemicals will be disposed properly and will not be used illegally.”
Port of Cagayan de Oro District Collector John Simon, on the other hand, emphasized that the action of the bureau against the importation is in compliance with the order of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to guard port of entries from illegal shipments.
“The Bureau of Customs in the region will also strengthen its partnership with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to strictly monitor the entry of harmful drugs and its precursor chemicals,” Simon added.