THE Clark Drug Interdiction Task Group (Clark-DITG) intercepted a package containing P16.1 million worth of kush (high-grade marijuana) at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, a police official said on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup) chief Brigadier General Christopher Abrahano said the illegal drugs inside two wooden crates were misdeclared as "Sofa Sets."
He said the package arrived in Clark from Bangkok, Thailand on August 5.
It was flagged down by the Bureau of Customs during an X-ray inspection on Monday, August 19.
“Nasa crates ito pero wala naman actual sofa sets doon sa crates nung tiningnan kasi suspicious nga may lamang kush. Apparently, galing itong shipment na ito sa Bangkok and meron consignee dito sa Pilipinas pero we will not reveal yet kung sino ‘yung consignee,” Abrahano said.
(It was in crates but there were no actual sofa sets in the crates when it was inspected and it was suspicious that there was kush inside. Apparently, this shipment came from Bangkok and there is a consignee here in the Philippines but we will not reveal yet who the consignee is.)
“Ang first contact ‘yung Customs natin kasi August 5 pa lang, na tag na itong crates na ito tapos nung subject to inspection na yun, nagduda na sila na mukhang may mali doon sa declaration kasi declaration nga sofa sets eh. So nagtawag na kaagad yung customs. Kinonvene na niya ‘yung inter-agency task group kasama ‘yung PDEA, Avsegroup at Customs at tumawag na sila ng mga witnesses, binuksan na ‘yung crate kahapon,” he added.
(The first contact was our Customs because it was on August 5 when these crates were tagged, and then when they were subject to inspection, they suspected that there seems to be something wrong with the declaration because the declaration is sofa sets. So the Customs immediately called and convened the inter-agency task group with the PDEA, Avsegroup and Customs and they have called witnesses. The crate was opened yesterday.)
The task group discovered 23 transparent plastic bags containing approximately 10.406 kilograms of high-grade marijuana kush hidden within the crates.
The seized drugs were brought to the PDEA Laboratory for further analysis while the consignee from Hermosa, Bataan will be facing charges for violating RA 9165, the "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002." (TPM/SunStar Philippines)