Drug mules are unwelcome in the Philippines and offenders shall be punished to the full extent of the law!
This is Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon’s message to those wanting to earn quick money as drug couriers when the Bureau of Customs today filed cases against seven (7) foreign nationals for violation of certain provisions of the Tariffs and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP) and Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to Biazon, on separate occasions from May to August this year, said foreign nationals’ attempt to illegally slip into the country over 20 kilos of Methampethamine Hydrochloride or “shabu” as it is popularly known here, with a total street value of over Php163.5 million were intercepted by alert Customs officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Formally charged at the DOJ were Francisca Jovian who was caught at the airport’s customs baggage inspection area with 3.737 kilos of the prohibited drug worth Php29.8 million on May 27, 2012, Tamil Selvi Veloo and N Chandrar Naddarajan who were also caught with 6 kilograms of Shabu worth Php48 million on June 16, 2012, Ooi Hock Guan who was caught with 4.05 kilos of “shabu” worth Php32.4 million on July 15, 2012, Danny Boon Eng Ng who was arrested with 2.3 kilos of the illegal substance worth Php18.4 million on July 20, 2012, Sun Bahadur Tamang with 1.465 kilos worth Php11 million on August 10, 2012 and Duong Thi Yen who was snatched with 2.9 kilos of “shabu” worth Php23.2 million on August 14, 2012.
“We will never allow drug mules to get through our customs gates, if only to ensure the safety of the Filipinos, especially our youths,” Biazon said, even as he added that, “The filing of cases against these drug mules today is just the beginning of an even more comprehensive campaign against smuggling by the BOC, particularly on illegal drugs or substances that destroy the lives of our youths and are menace to our society.”
Deputy Commissioner for Revenue Collection and Monitoring Group (RCMG) and Run-After-The-Smugglers (RATS) Head Peter Manzano for his part said, the seven foreign nationals could be facing stiffer punishment because of the involvement of illegal drugs in their aggressions. “We shall give preferential attention to these cases because of the nature of the offenses,” Manzano said.
