The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has intercepted P749.63 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), a major anti-smuggling breakthrough that may have broader implications for fiscal enforcement and trade monitoring. Acting on credible intelligence, the BOC flagged a 40-foot container falsely declared as balikbayan boxes. Upon inspection, authorities discovered over 110 kilograms of shabu hidden in four boxes.
The seized narcotics were confirmed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and are now under its custody for further investigation. BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno stressed that balikbayan privileges must not be abused, affirming the agency’s intensified profiling and inter-agency cooperation.
MICP district collector Rizalino Jose C. Torralba hailed the operation as a testament to the agency’s enhanced enforcement strategy. Fiscal policy analysts note that seizures of this scale prompt stricter border controls, which could impact customs processing efficiency and revenue collection, especially amid ongoing efforts to curb smuggling and boost public trust in trade facilitation systems.
