By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO
The Bureau of Customs (BoC) seized 800 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with an estimated street value of R5.44 million at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
NAIA district collector Mimel Talusan said the shabu was hidden in a package declared as art table, which arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.
The package containing shabu arrived at the FedEx warehouse of NAIA last Friday, September 21.
The BoC-NAIA presented the seized illegal drugs on Saturday night following the joint anti-drug operation by the government.
Talusan said the consignee was Joy Bido-Mariel, 28, who was later identified as Julie Ann Lozada, while the sender was a certain Asumani Lofeta.
Authorities then conducted a controlled delivery operation that led to the arrest of Lozada and her live in partner Cyril Garcia Cabigan, 28, who received the package. Both are residents of Dasmarinas, Cavite.
A controlled delivery is a technique used by BoC when a shipment of prohibited drugs is allowed to pass through the agency – under the supervision of law enforcers – to track down the consignees and other persons involved in the illegal shipment. Talusan said the arrested drug suspects violated Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002.