Press Release
September 27, 2018

GORDON CALLS ON BOC TO STRENGTHEN ARSENAL FOR THE NEW WAR IT IS FIGHTING ON DRUG SMUGGLING

As the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee continues its probe into the P4.3-billion worth of shabu from two magnetic lifters inside an abandoned container van at the Manila International Container Port and the suspected close to P9-billion worth of shabu removed from four similar lifters in GMA, Cavite, Senator Richard J. Gordon called on the Bureau of Customs to fortify its arsenal as it battles a new level of war against drug smuggling.

This, after the committee chairman established that the empty magnetic lifters delivered to the CRS Compound warehouse in Cavite contained illegal drugs.

"Magagaling na yan ngayon. Lahat pwedeng itago ngayon. Andami ng equipment na ginagamit. Sa hearing na to, we were able to establish na talagang may drugs na lumabas. The war on drugs has taken a different tone, not only here but throughout the whole world. Yung mga droga na ito, pumapasok na ngayon through heavy equipment at more sophisticated. We are fighting a new war and we have to have new weapons," he said.

Gordon came to the conclusion that the lifters in Cavite contained shabu after the warehouse caretaker testified that the seven Chinese, including the two who rented the property, stayed locked inside the warehouse for four hours before leaving on board a black Rav 4 that they parked inside.

The caretaker said he was asked to turn on the lights after the lifters had been placed inside the warehouse before he was instructed to close the door of the warehouse and leave. As he was closing the door he saw one of the Chinese men holding a grinder approached one of the lifters. Curious to see what the men was about to do, the caretaker tried to search for a hole in the walls to look in. However, he was prompted to stop. for fear of being caught, after two of the men came out.

When the news about the seized shabu at the MICP broke out, the caretaker reported to warehouse owner Vicenta Conteprate that forklift operator Angelo Ramilo informed him that the magnetic lifters inside the warehouse were allegedly containers for shabu because the containers were similar to the ones Ramilo saw on the news. Afterwards, Contemprate went to the barangay officials to report.

Gordon also established that the magnetic lifters were shipped into the country to conceal smuggled drugs and not for their industrial functions and pointed to the need to train BOC personnel further on how to identify shipments containing contrabands like illegal drugs.

"Ang mga pumapasok na droga ngayon, mas matitindi. Talagang pinag-aaralan na kung paano itatago yung droga. Kaya dapat magtraining ang mga BOC personnel, lalo na ang mga x-ray technicians sa iba't ibang bansa para matutunan nila ang mga bagong modus operanding ginagamit sa pag-smuggle ng shabu," he said.

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