THE number of drug trafficking cases involving foreign express delivery, as well as local courier services has increased in 2018 as compared to the previous year, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Tuesday, January 15.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said 35 drug trafficking incidents involving the use of courier services were recorded in 2018, while only seven cases were monitored in 2017.
Also in 2018, Aquino said 94.67 kilos of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), 16,713 pieces of ecstasy tablets, and 1,109.5 grams of kush, a hybrid marijuana, with an estimated market value of P672,161,877.88, were confiscated.
“Out of the interdiction operations conducted, 27 were interception of packages containing illegal drugs that originated from California, USA,” Aquino said in a statement.
He said the increase in the interception of drug-laden parcels can be attributed to the enhanced capability of PDEA agents.
He said PDEA operatives assigned in airports and seaports underwent several x-ray cargo screening training conducted by the Office of the Transportation Security (OTS).
Aquino said they also conduct, on a regular basis, K9 sweeping and parcel screening on all cargo terminals nationwide.
He said the PDEA established three Airport Interdiction Units (AIUs), three International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Groups (IADITGs), and 12 Seaport Interdiction Units (SIUs) in its regional office in order to address drug smuggling using vulnerable seaports and airports in the country.
Since 2015, the PDEA, together with other concerned government agencies, confiscated P966,257,517.88 worth of illegal drugs from packages sent via air or seaports.
“PDEA remains vigilant to ensure packages containing illegal drugs are intercepted and kept from being delivered,” Aquino said, adding that the agency is thankful for the participation of courier service providers in the successful interception of the contraband. (SunStar Philippines)