PH authorities seize P1.3-B illegal drug shipment at Manila port

Philippine authorities seized around 200 kilograms of shabu, with an estimated street value of P1.3 billion, at the Manila International Container Port in North Harbor, Manila.

The illegal drugs, which authorities said originated from Laos and passed through Vietnam and Hong Kong, were concealed inside ordinary-looking cardboard boxes.

The shipment was intercepted on October 15 by a joint team from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Authorities discovered that the cardboard boxes had been hollowed out in the middle to conceal packages of shabu, also known as crystal methamphetamine.

Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said intelligence information and X-ray scans helped authorities detect the illegal drugs despite their concealment.

During the inspection, K-9 units were also seen sitting on top of the cargo, indicating the presence of illegal drugs. A test conducted by the PDEA subsequently confirmed that the seized substance was shabu.

According to the PDEA, the shipment originated from Laos before passing through Vietnam and Hong Kong and eventually entering the Philippines.

Authorities also identified the consignee’s declared address in Imus, Cavite. However, PDEA Deputy Director General Asec. Renato Gumban said investigators were still checking whether the address was fictitious, noting that drug shipments often use false consignee information.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said intelligence information from Vietnam alerted Philippine authorities to the shipment even before it arrived in the country.

Remulla said the operation reflected the administration’s focus on intercepting illegal drugs at their source rather than targeting only small-time sellers and street-level dealers.

In October, authorities in Laos intercepted more than 500 kilograms of suspected shabu from a private chartered aircraft that was reportedly also bound for the Philippines.

Philippine authorities are still investigating whether the two separate seizures are connected. – ANC, The World Tonight, November 4, 2026