Authorities on Tuesday announced the seizure of approximately P21.4 million worth of illegal drugs discovered in a series of unclaimed packages at a shipping and mailing facility in Pasay City.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported that the operation, conducted last week at the Central Mail Exchange Center resulted in the recovery of five abandoned parcels. A subsequent inspection revealed that the packages contained 2,928 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu.”
According to the BOC, the narcotics have an estimated standard market value of P19,910,400. Additional substances and drug paraphernalia found across the parcels brought the total estimated value of the haul to P21.4 million.
The interception was a joint effort between Customs agents at NAIA and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Officials stated that the parcels were flagged after remaining unclaimed for an extended period at the unnamed shipping service.
The seized illegal drugs have been turned over to PDEA for proper disposal and further investigation. Authorities are currently tracing the sender and intended recipients of the parcels to identify the individuals behind the attempted smuggling.
This latest seizure is part of an intensified campaign by the BOC and PDEA to monitor small-parcel shipments, which have increasingly been used by drug syndicates to move contraband through international mailing systems.