P278.8 million shabu seized at MICP

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities intercepted a shipment of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P278.8 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) yesterday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla led the inspection of the 41 kilos of shabu found at the MICP in Manila’s North Harbor.

The contraband, declared as marbles from Afghanistan, was discovered by personnel of the Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police.

Law enforcers said they are still investigating to identify the people behind the drug shipment.

According to Remulla, the government’s bloodless war on illegal drugs under President Marcos has been successful.

Remulla said P95.6 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated in the first half of the Marcos administration.

He said this is higher compared to the P91-billion illegal drugs seized during the six-year term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“So you see that law enforcement is important than EJK,” Remulla said, referring to extrajudicial killings. “The solution to the drug problem is not killing people, it is these kinds of operations.”

Remulla added that the price of shabu has increased by 80 percent while the crime rate has gone down to 289 percent.

In Pasay City, over seven kilos of marijuana valued at P11.76 million were intercepted at the Central Mail Exchange Center on Saturday, police reported yesterday.

The contraband was stashed in four abandoned parcels. — Evelyn Macairan