PDEA alarmed over ‘mail-order’ drugs

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is concerned with the number of incidents involving the seizure of illegal drugs in packages sent through known courier services operating in the country.

“That’s actually one of the modes that we’re looking into,” PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon said in a phone interview with The STAR yesterday.

Carreon said this as a parcel containing an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, was discovered last week at a warehouse of a courier service at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac said a self-sealing transparent package containing a sachet of shabu was discovered concealed in a package bound for Israel. He said the illegal drugs were stuffed in the heel of a slipper.

The drugs were confiscated during an operation on May 12 following a report from Bureau of Customs officers.

The package was sent by Don Don Fernandez from Batangas and consigned to Moshie Koffman of Tikva, Israel.

On April 30, a package containing two kilos of marijuana was intercepted by PDEA operatives in Palawan.

Cacdac said the marijuana was placed inside a carton and sealed in plastic. He said the supposed recipient, Eric John Capague, did not claim the package, sent by Marco Escobar from Benguet.

“Prior to the operation, an intelligence report was received by PDEA Palawan Provincial Office that a package containing dried marijuana leaves is due for delivery using a courier service,” he said.

PDEA also intercepted P5.2 million worth of suspected shabu shipped through a known courier service to Iligan City on April 8.

The agency arrested consignee Asliah Sambitory, who picked up the package of 750 grams of shabu concealed in a speaker box. The package allegedly came from Alex Dimacaling of Orani, Bataan.

Last year, PDEA operatives also intercepted a parcel containing 600 grams of suspected shabu worth P3 million at the Zamboanga International Airport.

The illegal drugs were concealed in eight plastic bundles wrapped with electrical tape, together with flip-flop sandals, inside a package bound for Tawi-Tawi.

The parcel was intercepted by the office for transportation security before it was sent to its final destination in Tawi-Tawi in Nov. 21. The parcel was supposedly sent by Gloria Fernandez.

Earlier that month, operatives also seized 18 kilos of shabu contained inside balikbayan boxes at the same airport.

Carreon said the companies offering courier services are coordinating and cooperating with authorities to prevent the transport of illegal drugs through their businesses.

He added that their operatives are investigating the people supposedly behind the transport of the illegal drugs.