PDEA, BOC seize 110kg shabu worth PHP749M in Manila port

On Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Bureau of Customs seized over 110 kilograms of suspected shabu worth PHP749 million at the Manila International Container Port.

The illegal drugs were found inside four 'balikbayan' boxes arriving from California and addressed to recipients in Metro Manila during an interdiction operation carried out at Container Facility Station 3.

Inside the boxes, authorities discovered 106 vacuum-sealed plastic packs filled with white crystalline substances concealed among food items like cereal and instant noodles, packed in multiple layers to look like ordinary balikbayan boxes.

Initial tests confirmed that the seized substances were methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), and all evidence has been secured for further analysis.

Despite no immediate arrests, investigators are working to identify those behind the shipment and trace any local contacts involved in the smuggling attempt.

PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez emphasized that such interdictions protect families and communities from drug harm through constant vigilance and collaboration among agencies.

The operation highlights the government's commitment to tightening border security and intensifying interdiction measures at ports of entry, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.