The Bureau of Customs (BoC) confiscated 16 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu cleverly concealed inside the heels of a pair of ladies’ sandals.
The pair of sandals containing the illegal substance was discovered in a package bound for Saudi Arabia.
The package, which also contained several t-shirts and undergarments, was sent via an international logistics company by a certain Adela Salmero to Jennylen Simbrano c/o Jesse Youssef, with address at Khamis General Hospital, Military City Road, Khamis Mushayat, Saudi Arabia.
Vito Barcelo of the Manila Standard Today reported that the BoC received a reliable tip about the package that contained the illegal drugs, prompting the Enforcement Group’s Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF) to subject the package to an x-ray examination.
The x-ray machine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport detected suspicious round shapes inside the heels of the sandals which prompted CAIDTF to conduct physical examination of the package’s contents.
Customs Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno said three sachets of shabu were found inside the right shoe while four sachets were concealed in the left shoe.
“Drug smugglers are always experimenting on new ways to transport drugs and elude law enforcers. On our part we are exerting all efforts to curb the rampant smuggling of illegal drugs in the country. We are increasing our monitoring of all inbound and outbound cargo, whether by ship, freight, aircraft to ensure that the Philippines does not become a trans-shipment point for illegal drugs,” Nepomuceno said.
The seized illegal drugs with an estimated street value of P165,000 were turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for further examination and investigation.