China Anti-Smuggling Bureau: No Filipinos involved in P6.4-B drug shipment
China’s International Enforcement Cooperation Division-Anti-Smuggling Bureau said in a letter that no Filipinos were involved in the P6.4-billion shipment of smuggled drugs. Philstar.com / Rosette Adel, File
MANILA, Philippines — An official of China’s International Enforcement Cooperation Division-Anti-Smuggling Bureau (ASB) of the General Administration of Customs said no Filipinos were involved in P6.4-billion shipment of drugs into the country.
“We hereby certificated (sic) that no Filipino citizen was detected by ASB to be involved in the drug smuggling and that based on our intelligence, there was only one shipment of drug destined for the Philippines and no other shipment was related to this case,” Zhang Xiaohui, head of the International Enforcement Cooperation Division, said in a letter.
Zhang's two-page letter, dated July 17, was addressed to beleaguered Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, whom lawmakers have been probing over the shipment that was seized in a Customs-led operation.
The document, which had the letterhead of the General Administration of Customs of China, also called the attention of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service Director III Neil Anthony Estrella.
The existence of the letter was first reported by state-run media Philippine News Agency and PTV-4.
The ASB commended the Bureau of Customs for its successful seizure of the 605 kilograms methamphetamine hydrocholoride based on China’s information gathered May 26, 2017.
It said the Xiamen ASB had started its anti-drug intelligence operation since January 2017 until the shipment brought to the Philippines in May.
It added that the operation led to the apprehension of four suspects.
Zhang said the seizure as an example why the cooperation of the two counties’ Customs agencies is necessary.
“Thank you to the prompt action of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Bureau of Philippine Customs, the 605 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride was successfully seized. Otherwise, the drugs will go into the black market which the consequence cannot be imagined,” Zhang said.
The House of Representatives and Senate committees on dangerous drugs have commenced separate inquiries into the anomalous shipment. Lawmakers have also called for the resignation of Faeldon for allegedly mishandling the seizure of drugs. —Rosette Adel
- Latest
- Trending
