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Shabu Hidden In Tapioca: Court Convicts 3 In P998M Smuggling Case
Photo credit: DOJ
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured the conviction of three individuals involved in a high-profile drug smuggling case where nearly ₱1 billion worth of shabu was concealed in what was declared as tapioca starch.
In a ruling dated January 23, 2026, Branch 21 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila found the accused guilty of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The court convicted Mukhtasil Abundol Asimuddin, Emmanuel Paulo Delos Reyes, and George Fernandez for their key roles in importing methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, into the country.
The illegal drugs were hidden inside aluminum pallets used to transport sacks of tapioca starch. While the shipment was officially declared as food-grade starch, authorities later discovered that the pallets themselves were being used as containers for the concealed narcotics.
The shipment had been abandoned as early as 2019 and eventually went up for auction. Suspicion arose when the winning bidder noticed white powder falling from one of the aluminum pallets while it was being lifted by a forklift. This led to further investigation, which uncovered 148.80972 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride with an estimated value of ₱998,306,096.
Prosecutors established that the accused used false and fraudulent import declarations, misrepresenting the true nature, quality, and quantity of the shipment. What was declared as tapioca starch was, in reality, a sophisticated attempt to smuggle dangerous drugs into the country.
The court sentenced each of the three accused to reclusion perpetua and ordered them to pay a fine of ₱50 million each.
The prosecution panel was led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane W. Sytat, along with Assistant State Prosecutors Magelli Anne DL Diaz and Mary Grace V. Pulido-Sadian, and Prosecution Attorney Eugene Q. Yusi.
The conviction marks another major win for the DOJ in its ongoing efforts to combat large-scale drug smuggling and hold those responsible accountable under the law.
In a ruling dated January 23, 2026, Branch 21 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila found the accused guilty of violating the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The court convicted Mukhtasil Abundol Asimuddin, Emmanuel Paulo Delos Reyes, and George Fernandez for their key roles in importing methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, into the country.
The illegal drugs were hidden inside aluminum pallets used to transport sacks of tapioca starch. While the shipment was officially declared as food-grade starch, authorities later discovered that the pallets themselves were being used as containers for the concealed narcotics.
The shipment had been abandoned as early as 2019 and eventually went up for auction. Suspicion arose when the winning bidder noticed white powder falling from one of the aluminum pallets while it was being lifted by a forklift. This led to further investigation, which uncovered 148.80972 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride with an estimated value of ₱998,306,096.
Prosecutors established that the accused used false and fraudulent import declarations, misrepresenting the true nature, quality, and quantity of the shipment. What was declared as tapioca starch was, in reality, a sophisticated attempt to smuggle dangerous drugs into the country.
The court sentenced each of the three accused to reclusion perpetua and ordered them to pay a fine of ₱50 million each.
The prosecution panel was led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane W. Sytat, along with Assistant State Prosecutors Magelli Anne DL Diaz and Mary Grace V. Pulido-Sadian, and Prosecution Attorney Eugene Q. Yusi.
The conviction marks another major win for the DOJ in its ongoing efforts to combat large-scale drug smuggling and hold those responsible accountable under the law.
Feb 4, 2026
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