Friday, November 23, 2007 Shabu ingredient seized in Mactan
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Sub-port of Mactan has seized a chemical shipment of a company located at the economic zone for being imported in violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The importation of Vimoplast MLO12PR chemical placed in six 25-liter cans contained Tolouene, a precursor of shabu.
Tolouene is listed as an illegal drug by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Because no permit from PDEA was secured to import the chemical, company officials may be held liable for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Violation
The warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) issued by Sub-port Collector Ernesto Urbano directed the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) supervisor and the Enforcement and Security Service sector commander to seize the chemical.
The shipment is also subject to seizure and forfeiture because its importation also violated the Tariff and Customs Code.
Urbano, in his directive, said the chemical will be turned over to PDEA after proper examination and appraisal.
Urbano could not be contacted for clarification on why he issued the WSD only last Oct. 26 when the shipment arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport last July 18.
Under the Tariff and Customs Code, an importer has only 30 days, without extension, to claim or file an import entry on the cargo from the date of arrival, otherwise it will be declared abandoned and forfeited in favor of the government.
“Why did it take so long for Urbano to act on the matter? Since the shipment arrived last July 18, Urbano could have declared it abandoned last Aug. 18,” a customs official said on condition that he should not be named.
CIIS Supervisor Franz Angelo Muñoz said that in fairness to the company, its officials told him that they applied for a permit to import but was disapproved by PDEA because the shipment already arrived.
The case again raised the issue that several chemicals that are precursors of shabu have been imported by some manufacturing firms without making the mandatory inventory on how they will use it.
In September 2004, PDEA raided two warehouses in Barangays Umapad and Paknaan, Mandaue City and seized sacks of pseudoephedrine, another ingredient of the illegal drug shabu. (EOB)
