Pampanga: The Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs, has intercepted suspected shabu worth over PHP10.696 million concealed within the cardboard sidewalls of a wedding-dress carton in Pampanga.

According to Philippines News Agency, the illegal drugs weighing approximately 1.573 kilograms were shipped from Mexico City, Mexico, to Mandaluyong City on September 1. Acting on information received by authorities, the shipment, declared as 'wedding dress', underwent X-ray scanning, which revealed suspicious images and prompted a full physical examination.

Finding no contraband concealed in the garment, the assigned Customs examiner further inspected the packaging itself, where authorities discovered four transparent plastic pouches containing shabu concealed within the cardboard sidewalls of the box. Samples of the white crystalline substance were subsequently turned over to PDEA-Clark for laboratory analysis and confirmatory testing.

A Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD) was issued against the shipment for violations of Section 1113(l)(3), (4), and (5) of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in relation to Republic Act No. 9165, as amended. Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the operation supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to intensify the government's campaign against illegal drugs and strengthen the protection of the country's borders and Filipino communities.

He also emphasized the importance of remaining thorough despite increasingly sophisticated concealment methods. 'Smugglers are becoming more cunning, and sometimes, at first glance, there appears to be nothing suspicious about the shipment. That is why we cannot afford to be complacent - our Customs officers must remain sharp, thorough, and ready to check beyond what is immediately visible," Nepomuceno said.