SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-The Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted here on Thursday some P162.2-million worth of marijuana or ‘kush,’ following a search of a distressed sailing yacht brough to Subic for repair.
The contraband was discovered after BOC-Port of Subic received information on a sailing yacht that was forced to seek emergency shelter and repairs at the Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) due to bad weather.
Subic District Collector Geniefelle Lagmay said his office acted immediately on the information and issued a mission order authorizing the search.
Investigators found out that the vessel, manned by Thai and Malaysian crewmen, was originally sailing to Taiwan from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia when it encountered rough seas and was forced to head to Subic.
Upon inspection and search of the vessel BOC operatives recovered a total of 98.33 kilos of marijuana with an estimated street price of P162.2 million.
The operation was conducted by a composite team from BOC, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Law Enforcement Department (SBMA-LED), Coast Guard (PCG), Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea), with witnesses from the Department of Justice (DOJ), barangay officials, and SBYC officials.
Lagmay said the Port of Subic remains vigilant and resolute in carrying out its mandate to secure borders and protect the Filipino people from illicit and prohibited goods.
BOC-Subic also announced on Wednesday that the second batch of cigarettes abandoned in Subic is now on the ninth day of condemnation at the Legaxy 88 Recyclable Materials Collection Services in Santa Maria, Bulacan.
The cigarettes were part of about 3,000 cases of assorted cigarette brands contained in three 40-foot containers that were left unclaimed in Subic.
The cigarettes, valued at P129.065 million, were destroyed by shredding and pyrolysis, or high-temperature thermal breakdown.