P400-M high-grade shabu seized near NAIA

MANILA, Philippines - At least 40 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, with an estimated street value of P400 million, hidden in four water pumps sent from Taiwan were seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at a warehouse near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) yesterday.

Danilo Pineda, to whom the pumps were consigned, reportedly tried to sneak the shipment out of the Pair Cargo warehouse and was foiled by BOC personnel led by district collector Edgar Macabeo, anti-illegal drug executive officer Sherwin Andrada and customs police head Lt. Reggie Tuason.

Macabeo said the shipment arrived at the warehouse on Dec. 28, 2014 from Taipei via Hong Kong. “This is the biggest haul of drugs in 2014 and the first in 2015,” he said.

Pineda, who denied knowing that the pumps contained shabu, told The STAR his job was simply to follow up the shipment and his name was used to make processing faster. He said he received instructions from “Sir Bebot” of Parañaque City.

Andrada said the shabu was well hidden in the pumps and the illegal drugs were detected only through x-ray machines.