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The Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark seized 1.573 kilograms of suspected shabu, valued at P10.696 million, concealed within the cardboard sidewalls of a wedding-dress carton shipped from Mexico
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The shipment was declared as a “wedding dress” and originated from Mexico City, bound for Mandaluyong City
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A BOC X-ray scan detected suspicious images, prompting a physical examination of the shipment
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Initial spectrometer screening identified the substance as methamphetamine, with samples sent to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Clark for confirmation
The Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Clark seized approximately 1.573 kilograms of suspected shabu worth P10.696 million concealed inside the cardboard sidewalls of a wedding-dress carton shipped from Mexico.
The shipment, bound for an address in Mandaluyong City, was intercepted in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs following derogatory information received by authorities, the BOC reported.
Declared as “wedding dress,” the shipment underwent X-ray scanning by the BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), which detected suspicious images and prompted a full physical examination.
The assigned customs examiner initially inspected the white wedding dress, including its ruffles, but found no contraband.
Guided by the X-ray images and the carton’s unusual weight, the examiner inspected the packaging itself. Upon dismantling the carton, authorities found four transparent plastic pouches concealed within its cardboard sidewalls.
The pouches contained a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu.
Initial screening using a spectrometer indicated the presence of methamphetamine. Samples were subsequently turned over to PDEA Clark for laboratory analysis and confirmatory testing.
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Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno underscored the need for vigilance as drug smugglers adopt more sophisticated concealment methods.
“(S)mugglers are becoming more clever, and sometimes, at first glance, the shipment seems harmless. That’s why we can’t be complacent – our Customs officers must stay alert, thorough, and prepared to look beyond what is immediately visible,” Nepomuceno said.
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District collector Jairus Reyes reaffirmed the Port of Clark’s commitment to strengthening its profiling and examination capabilities in coordination with partner law enforcement agencies.
A warrant of seizure and detention was issued against the shipment for violations of Section 1113(l)(3), (4), and (5) of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to Republic Act No. 9165, as amended.
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