Clark, Pampanga – Over PHP700,000 worth of cocaine, falsely declared as clothing, was seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) officers at Clark, Pampanga, the bureau reported on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Port of Clark District Collector Erastus Sandino Austria, the interception occurred on November 22 when a parcel containing 135.24 grams of cocaine, valued at PHP716,772, was discovered. The shipment, originating from Los Angeles, California, was incorrectly declared to contain hoodies and t-shirts.
The illicit drugs were detected through K9 sniffing and x-ray scanning procedures. Following the seizure, samples were sent to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for chemical analysis, confirming the substance as cocaine, classified as a dangerous drug under Republic Act (RA) 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Austria has since issued a warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment for violating RA 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, in relation to RA 9165.