TACLOBAN CITY— What appeared to be an ordinary package at a Baybay City delivery hub turned suspicious after a police K9 gave it away, leading to the interception of a suspected marijuana shipment worth more than P2 million, authorities said.
The discovery was made at around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, during a routine inspection at a delivery facility in Barangay Cogon. The operation was conducted jointly by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Baybay City Police Station and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office 8 as part of their ongoing land interdiction efforts.
Police said a PDEA K9 unit was sweeping the area when it alerted on a large carton box, prompting officers to take a closer look. An entrapment operation was immediately set in motion, but the intended recipient could no longer be reached by the delivery rider.
Inside the package, authorities found 17 bricks of suspected dried marijuana leaves weighing about 17 kilograms and valued at over P2 million. Also tucked inside were 20 vape inhalers containing cannabis oil worth an estimated P70,000, along with assorted clothing, bubble wrap, and the carton box used to conceal the items.
Authorities noted that courier services continue to be exploited by drug syndicates to move illegal substances, prompting stricter monitoring and inspections at delivery hubs across the region.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA, JOEY A. GABIETA)
