AUTHORITIES intercepted over P75 million worth of shabu concealed in an industrial water chiller at the Port of Clark, leading to the arrest of two men linked to the shipment, the Bureau of Customs (BOC)-Clark said Friday, September 5, 2025.
The BOC-Clark, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Clark International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Group, discovered 11.04 kilograms of shabu with an estimated value of P75,072,000 in a parcel from Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico.
The shipment, bound for Cainta, Rizal, arrived on August 26 and was flagged after PDEA relayed information.
X-ray scanning, K-9 inspection, and a physical examination of the chiller unit revealed a plastic cylinder wrapped in lead shielding containing shabu.
District Collector Jairus S. Reyes issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the shipment for violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
On August 30, two men, aged 52 and 54, were arrested after attempting to claim the parcel from a warehouse. They are now under PDEA-Central Luzon custody.
Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said the operation highlights the agency’s continued efforts to prevent the entry of illegal drugs into the country.
“Our commitment to protect the Filipino people remains firm, and we will continue to work closely with our partner agencies to stop the entry of these dangerous substances at all costs,” Nepomuceno said. (JGS/SunStar Philippines)