MANILA: A shipment of ketamine worth P30.78 million (US$500,000) from the Netherlands was intercepted at the Port of Clark, the Bureau of Customs said on Good Friday.
Further inspection of the package, declared as “solar cables” bound for Pasig City, confirmed it contained ketamine, prompting authorities to issue a warrant of seizure and detention.
The six-kilogram parcel was flagged for additional search after receiving “derogatory” information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Shipments and individuals with derogatory records are held by customs or immigration authorities for links to alleged criminal activities.
An initial K-9 sniff test indicated the presence of an illegal substance. A full physical inspection revealed a wooden cable spool with coiled wires, inside which were six clear plastic pouches containing a white crystalline substance.
Port of Clark District Collector Jairus Reyes noted that this is a new tactic used by smugglers to evade detection.
“Smugglers continue to evolve their tactics, and so must we. Strengthening our profiling systems and continuously building the expertise of our examiners are key to staying ahead and protecting our borders,” Reyes said in a statement. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
