(Eagle News) — Authorities on Monday, May 17, seized P3.11 million worth of ketamine and arrested the claimant of the illegal drugs which had been concealed in coffee sachets, the Bureau of Customs said.
According to the bureau, Kristopher Segumbang was nabbed in a joint controlled delivery operation in Caloocan after claiming the 622 grams of illegal party drugs on behalf of the consignee, a certain Nick Dimagiba.
The parcel arrived last May 10 from Malaysia, with the content declared as “snacks.”
The bureau said the illegal drugs were discovered through X-ray and K-9 sweeping.
The ketamine was later found in the 15 coffee sachets upon physical examination.
According to the bureau, ketamine is also known as “Special K” or “K,” and was originally created as anesthetics.
It is, however, commonly abused as “party drugs” for its tranquilizing effects.
Ketamine is classified as a dangerous drug under the R.A. 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and was included in the list of Dangerous Drugs by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) in 2005 under DDB Regulation No. 3.
The bureau said the claimant and the illegal drugs are now in Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
The claimant is facing charges for violation of R.A. 9165 in relation to Section 1401 of R.A. 10863 or Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the bureau said.