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Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency intercepted a shipment of methamphetamine hydrochloride worth about P278 million at the Manila International Container Port
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The illegal drug locally known as shabu were concealed in a container declared as marble from Afghanistan
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Shipment of about 41 kilograms of shabu was flagged through intelligence sharing and joint monitoring
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) intercepted a shipment containing an estimated P278 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known by its street name shabu, at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) following an intelligence-driven joint operation.
The BOC said it received information from PDEA as early as December 2, 2025 regarding a shipment from Afghanistan suspected to contain illegal drugs.
Based on the intelligence, the two agencies placed the shipment under close and continuous monitoring through the BOC’s Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, Enforcement Group-Enforcement and Security Service, and Intelligence Group-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, in coordination with PDEA.
The container, declared as “marble,” arrived at MICP on December 31, 2025. No goods declaration was filed within the 15-day reglementary period, prompting customs authorities to declare the shipment abandoned in accordance with existing rules.
Even prior to its abandonment, the container underwent non-intrusive inspection, K9 sniffing, and physical examination as part of standard joint enforcement procedures, the BOC said in a news release following a press conference on February 10, 2026.
X-ray scanning conducted on January 8, 2026 revealed suspicious images in the container’s top rail portion. This was reinforced during a K9 operation, when a narcotics detection dog gave a positive indication for the presence of dangerous drugs, confirming the initial intelligence and risk assessment.
To allow a full inspection, customs authorities issued a pre-lodgement control order on February 4, 2026, authorizing a 100% physical examination, which was carried out on February 9, 2026.
The examination led to the recovery of a white powdery substance concealed within the container, which PDEA later confirmed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride.
Authorities recovered a total of 131 pieces of suspected dangerous drugs weighing about 41 kilograms. The seized drugs were valued at approximately P6.8 million per kilogram.
The BOC and PDEA said the operation underscores their ongoing dedication to enhancing intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement efforts to safeguard the country’s borders and communities from illegal drugs.
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