BOC confiscates P434-M illegal drugs, chems

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs confiscated P433.91 million in illegal drugs and other controlled chemicals in the first five months of the year, nearly three times the P149.91 million intercepted for the whole of 2013.

The BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) has embarked on an active campaign against illegal drugs with numerous apprehensions of suspected big-time illegal traffickers and their contrabands in the past five years.

The National Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (NALECC), an anti-illegal drugs body composed of various government offices with law enforcement duties, lauded the BOC for having the most number of drug-related accomplishments from 2010 to May 2014 with 139 apprehensions of illegal drugs and chemicals worth over P1.1 billion.

“The success of our anti-drug operations is the result of improved intelligence work and tactical approach. We will relentlessly go after these drug dealers and traffickers,” said Customs Enforcement and Security Service director Willie Tolentino.

The BOC is stepping up efforts to monitor the rising incidents of drugs being smuggled through personal effects like stuffed toys, toiletries and other ordinary items.

Last May, joint operatives of BOC and PDEA busted an online drug dealing operation that led to the arrest of Prabhjot Singh Gill, a suspected big-time supplier and distributor of “ecstasy.”