Probe on Customs officials involved in Ephedrine smuggling ordered

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo ordered a probe into the alleged involvement of Customs officials in the smuggling of P2-billion worth of Ephedrine seized Friday at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila.

Bernardo reportedly blew his top after MICP officials failed to produce the original documents of the seized shipment, a source at the Bureau of Customs told The Star.

"The original papers of the shipment was missing," the source, who asked not to be identified, said.

"Commissioner Bernardo ordered the MICP officials to produce the documents this week or face the consequences," he said.

Bernardo reportedlt demanded from the MICP officials the shipments’ original documents after Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay, head of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AID-SOTF) requested the documents to bolster the filing of charges against Jelly Laurente, the cargo’s broker, for illegal importation of controlled precursors.

When he failed to get the said documents, Bernardo certified the photocopies as original for Aglipay to push through with the filing of charges against Laurente and five other officials and employees of the Premier Sea and Air Cargo

Movers Corp., the shipments’ consignee. A Chinese businessman, who owned the shipment, is now being hunted. AID-SOTF officials refused to reveal his identity for fear of jeopardizing on-going follow-up operations.

Bernardo was interested in knowing who among the MICP officials signed the entry papers of the shipment, which was declared as stable bleaching powder.

The source said the cargo was being inspected by Customs officials prior to the issuance of a gate pass for its release from the MICP compound when AID-SOTF operatives headed by Superintendent Neri Ilagan pounced on the shipment Friday.

The AID-SOTF operatives acted on information culled during raided clandestine shabu laboratory in Valenzuela City last Nov. 11.

When the 20-footer van was opened, 40 of the 300 drums were tested positive for Ephedrine, one of the main ingredients for the manufacture of shabu.

Ilagan said a kilo of Ephedrine could produce a kilo of shabu. He placed the estimated value of the seized shipment at P2 billion.

Laurente, who witnessed the inspection of the shipment, was immediately placed under arrest. He was charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) along with Antonio Castillo, Erlinda Castillo, Mark Allen Castillo, Benjamin Valic and Jacinto Reyes, who all remain at large.

Four years ago, Laurente was arrested by elements of the Presidentiai Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) for also brokering the importation of 108 kilos of shabu. He was released because the cargo was inspected by the raiding team prior to the issuance of an entry pass.

"Gen. Aglipay does not want to commit the same mistake so he asked for the copies of the shipments’ original documents," the source said. "It was then when the irregularity was discovered."

The Star tried but failed to reach Bernardo for comment.