By Betheena Unite

Instead of tea and shirts, P3.1 million worth of kush marijuana was found inside a parcel from California, USA, the Bureau of Customs said Monday.

The parcel was supposed to contain “chocolate, green tea, shirts, black tea” but when Customs agents opened the package at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City, four packs of kush marijuana were found inside.

It was shipped from California and was consigned to a resident of Marikina City. The parcel was seized due to misdeclaration. Kush marijuana is illegal in the country. The importation of such prohibited items is punishable by life imprisonment, the bureau said.

“Continuous profiling of parcels and cargoes arriving via air is intensified in view of unveiled similar instances of concealment of dangerous drugs,” the bureau said.

The seized kush marijuana was turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Monday for further profiling and case build up for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act in relation to Section 119 and Section 1113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

“The Port of NAIA, in coordination with the PDEA, X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Services (CIIS), Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), and Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), will continue to strengthen their vigilance and support the directives of the Commissioner to be vigilant against the entry of illegal drugs and smuggled goods,” the bureau said.

A package shipped from California containing P1.1-million marijuana was also intercepted at the Port of Clark last June 19. The parcel was declared as art works but inspection showed otherwise.