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BOC Reaffirms Commitment To Border Security With Major Drug Bust At Manila Port
Photo credit: BOC
Demonstrating his firm resolve to uphold border security and enforce the law, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno personally led the inspection of a shipment intercepted for containing illegal drugs at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on July 17, 2025.
The operation stemmed from credible intelligence that prompted the BOC to issue an Alert Order on a 40-foot container declared as carrying balikbayan boxes. A thorough, 100-percent inspection revealed the shocking discovery: 110.24 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, hidden inside four boxes. The contraband has an estimated street value of PHP 749.63 million.
Following standard procedure, samples from the shipment were immediately submitted to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for confirmatory testing. Laboratory results later verified that the substances were indeed shabu. The seized drugs will now be turned over to PDEA for further investigation and prosecution of those responsible, in line with Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and R.A. No. 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
This successful interdiction highlights the administration’s ongoing campaign to secure the nation’s borders against the smuggling of dangerous drugs. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has repeatedly emphasized the need for stronger border protection to shield the Filipino public from the dangers and health risks posed by narcotics.
MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose C. Torralba praised the vigilance and coordination among the various enforcement units involved in the operation. He noted that the outcome underscores the BOC’s improved profiling systems and effective inter-agency collaboration.
For his part, Commissioner Nepomuceno delivered a strong message against those attempting to abuse the balikbayan box system—a service cherished by millions of overseas Filipinos.
“We will not allow criminal elements to exploit balikbayan privileges and tarnish the trust of our overseas Filipinos,” he said. “This seizure underscores our commitment to protecting the country and its people.”
With operations like this, the BOC reaffirms its unyielding stand against drug smuggling and its dedication to keeping the country’s borders secure.
The operation stemmed from credible intelligence that prompted the BOC to issue an Alert Order on a 40-foot container declared as carrying balikbayan boxes. A thorough, 100-percent inspection revealed the shocking discovery: 110.24 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, hidden inside four boxes. The contraband has an estimated street value of PHP 749.63 million.
Following standard procedure, samples from the shipment were immediately submitted to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for confirmatory testing. Laboratory results later verified that the substances were indeed shabu. The seized drugs will now be turned over to PDEA for further investigation and prosecution of those responsible, in line with Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and R.A. No. 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
This successful interdiction highlights the administration’s ongoing campaign to secure the nation’s borders against the smuggling of dangerous drugs. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has repeatedly emphasized the need for stronger border protection to shield the Filipino public from the dangers and health risks posed by narcotics.
MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose C. Torralba praised the vigilance and coordination among the various enforcement units involved in the operation. He noted that the outcome underscores the BOC’s improved profiling systems and effective inter-agency collaboration.
For his part, Commissioner Nepomuceno delivered a strong message against those attempting to abuse the balikbayan box system—a service cherished by millions of overseas Filipinos.
“We will not allow criminal elements to exploit balikbayan privileges and tarnish the trust of our overseas Filipinos,” he said. “This seizure underscores our commitment to protecting the country and its people.”
With operations like this, the BOC reaffirms its unyielding stand against drug smuggling and its dedication to keeping the country’s borders secure.
Jul 17, 2025
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