Ephedrine intercepted at post office

Another shipment of ephedrine sent through parcels from Pakistan was discovered and seized yesterday by agents of the Customs Intelligence and Enforcement Group (CIEG) at the Philippine Postal Corp. in Intramuros, Manila.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Ray Allas said the ephedrine, the main ingredient used in the manufacture of shabu, was discovered inside five sealed boxes and were declared as reading materials.

The CIEG chief also said that a check on the identities of the consignees Arnold Sable, Anthony Saso, Anita Singson, Alex Sayson and Amado Sapio of Cebu proved fictitious, including their addresses in Cebu.

Allas also said that the boxes contained 34.5 kilos of ephedrine when examined by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Only the other day, the Bureau of Customs seized a 20-footer container van of ephedrine which arrived Nov. 22 purportedly from India at the Manila International Container Port in North Harbor.

The discovery of the contraband, which was declared as bleaching powder, was made after the broker, Jerry Laurente, tried to facilitate the release of the shipment by filing an entry with the bureau.

The entry purportedly tried to show that the shipment came from India instead of China where it was among the cargo unloaded at the MICP on Nov. 12 on board a Chinese-registered vessel that sailed from the mainland.

Customs Commissioenr Antonio Bernardo ordered the shipment isolated and sought the assistance of the PDEA to confirm its suspicion that it contained ephedrine, a highly regulated drug.

President Arroyo personally witnessed the inventory of the shipment which contained 300 drums of ephedrine even as she ordered those responsible for the attempt to smuggle drugs into the country be held criminally liable.