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405 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, valued at P2.7 billion was seized at the Port of Manila
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Declared as ‘Vermicelli and Custard Sauce’, the shipment arrived on January 15, 2025 from Pakistan
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It contained 471 cartons of vermicelli, 58 cartons of methamphetamine, and 169 cartons of custard powder
Around 405 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, worth P2.7 billion was seized at the Port of Manila (POM) by joint government operatives.
Declared as “Vermicelli and Custard Sauce”, the shipment arrived on January 15, 2025 from Pakistan and contained 471 cartons of vermicelli, 58 cartons of methamphetamine, and 169 cartons of custard powder, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said in a statement.
In a joint press conference conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), BOC and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), NBI director Jaime Santiago identified the shipper as Ayan Enterprise/Trading & Logistics, and the consignee as Red Shinting Consumer Goods Trading at Las Piñas City.
Those involved in the shipment are:
1. Oscar Campo Berba (Red Shinting, consignee)
2. Kevin Lee Manuel (customs broker)
3. Richard Perlado Aguantar (customs broker)
4. Karen Villaflor Sacro (chair of freight forwarding company Ark Global Movers)
5. Rey Baysa Gujilde (president of freight forwarding company Ark Global Movers)
All were arrested and brought before the Department of Justice, National Prosecution Service for Inquest Proceedings for Violation of Section 4, RA 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
The case has been filed in court and is now awaiting trial, Santiago said in a statement.
Flagged and placed under an Alert Order initiated by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), in coordination with the NBI-Dangerous Drugs Division (NBI-DDD) and PDEA, the shipment was subjected to an investigation for potential violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
A 100% physical examination was subsequently conducted by the assigned Customs Examiner along with representatives from the Philippine Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc., CIIS, Enforcement and Security Service, X-ray Inspection Project, and law enforcement units, including the NBI and the PDEA.
The operation reflects a collaborative approach in curbing the smuggling of contraband such as shabu, in accordance with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive for a unified national strategy against illegal trafficking, BOC said.
BOC-Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy outlined the discrepancies that led to the shipment’s flagging and investigation.
He said intelligence-sharing and close collaboration with the NBI enabled the BOC to track down those behind the illicit operation.
Highlighting the significance of this successful interdiction, NBI director Santiago expressed his appreciation to the BOC, PDEA, and DOJ prosecutors who helped ensure a solid case build-up.
Meanwhile, POM-district collector Alexander Alviar emphasized the importance of close coordination among government agencies in combatting illegal imports: “This successful operation demonstrates the BOC’s strengthened profiling and screening procedures, as well as our unwavering commitment to national security and public health.”
In view of the findings, a Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued against the entire shipment, citing violations under the CMTA, particularly sections 118, 1113, and 1400 in relation to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the BOC said.
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