ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/07 March) – Authorities intercepted Thursday a shipment of shabu or metamphetamine hydrochloride with an estimated market value of P5 million at the Zamboanga International Airport.
Supt. Villaflor Bannawagan, Aviation Security Group commander said the shipment was intercepted around 1 p.m. Thursday during an inspection of cargos by the Department of Transportation and Communication’s Office of Transport Security personnel.
Bannawagan said the shipment was intercepted after the OTS personnel manning the x-ray machine placed on hold a cargo box sent through a courier firm and recommended for the conduct of manual inspection.
He said he immediately coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Customs and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to manually inspect the cargo.
He said the box contained assorted packs of foodstuffs, but upon inspection one of the packs turned out to be a kilo of shabu.
The official said the cargo, which arrived Wednesday from Manila, was consigned to one Dayang Askali of Datu Halun, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
A morning flight Friday from this city would have sent it to Bongao if not for the discovery, he added.
Bannawagan said the cargo sender is Walter Aquino of 118, Reparo Street, Caloocan City.
He said the shabu shipment they confiscated Thursday was the sixth they have intercepted since November last year.
He said the biggest seizure happened last Nov. 9, when they intercepted at least 19 kilos of shabu with an estimated value of P180 million.
The shipment was bound for Malaysia via Tawi-Tawi.
(MindaNews)
