The Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Port of Clark intercepted a shipment of nearly 4,891 ecstasy tablets, commonly referred to as "party drugs," valued at ₱8.314 million, successfully thwarting an attempt to smuggle illegal drugs.
BOC conducted the operation in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), BOC's Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) - Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).
The BOC's X-ray Inspection Project flagged the suspicious shipment, which was then immediately inspected by K9 units from the CAIDTF and PDEA, confirming the presence of illegal drugs.
The shipment was found to contain one box of espresso capsules and three boxes of coffee beans, with the ecstasy tablets hidden among the coffee beans in the boxes from the Netherlands.
Upon chemical analysis on the samples, it was confirmed that the tablets contained Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as Ecstasy.
A Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued for the shipment due to violations of Republic Act No. 10863, known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), in connection with Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
