Pasay city: Authorities seized eight inbound parcels containing illegal drugs with an estimated street value of over PHP3.7 million at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported Wednesday. In a statement, the bureau said the parcels containing 2,482 grams of dried marijuana (kush) were declared as various consumer items including clothing, dog food, and board games. The parcels, intercepted on January 22, were examined and yielded positive results for the presence of illegal drugs.

According to Philippines News Agency, the interception constitutes violations of Section 4, Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and RA 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), particularly Section 1400 (Misdeclaration), Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation and Exportation), and Section 117 (Regulated Importation and Exportation). Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno commended the vigilance and persistence of the BOC-NAIA frontliners. "The successful interception of these illegal drugs reflects the bureau's sustained efforts to monitor inbound mail and prevent criminal syndicates from exploiting postal channels," he said.

Meanwhile, the BOC, along with the Clark Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal Drugs, seized approximately 4.11 kg of high-grade marijuana (kush) with an estimated value of PHP6.16 million. In a separate statement, the bureau said the shipment, declared as a 'polyester rug runner', came from California and was bound for San Mateo, Rizal. Inspectors discovered a cylindrical container concealing three black transparent plastic bags containing dried leaves and fruiting tops suspected to be marijuana. Chemical analysis later confirmed the substance as marijuana, classified as a dangerous drug under RA 9165.