A shipment containing cannabis-infused vapes worth P350,000 was intercepted at the Port of Clark, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said in a press release on Thursday, September 5.
According to the BOC, a shipment arrived from the United States on August 26, 2024, and was declared a “Home Decor Lift Top End Table with Charging Station and Wheels, Sofa Side Table with USB Port + AC Outlets, Movable Bedside Nightstand.” the X-ray Inspection Project Scanner flagged the item for further examination. Moreover, the K-9 unit also detected the presence of illegal substances in the shipment.
Following the initial inspection, the Customs Examiner proceeded with a 100 percent physical examination on August 29, 2024, and uncovered 200 pieces of cannabis-infused disposable vapes from several brands.
“Samples were subjected to the Customs’ Rigaku Spectrometer Reader, which indicated the presence of cannabinoids. The samples were also turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for chemical laboratory analysis, which confirmed that the substances were indeed marijuana, a dangerous drug under (the) Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9165, as amended,” the BOC said in a press release.
A Warrant of Seizure and Detention was issued against the shipment for violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
The BOC inspection was conducted in coordination with the PDEA, Philippine National Police (PNP)—Aviation Security Group, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – Pampanga District Office, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the barangay officials of Dau.
