A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced three individuals to reclusion perpetua (20 to 40 years imprisonment) in connection with the 2019 importation of nearly ₱1 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “shabu,” concealed inside sacks of tapioca starch.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday, Feb. 4, that Muktasil Abundol Asimuddin, Emmanuel Paulo Delos Reyes, and George Fernandez were convicted of violating Section 1401(g) in relation to Section 118(g) of Republic Act No. 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Each of the accused was also fined ₱50 million, the DOJ said, though a copy of the court’s decision was not released.
The DOJ added that the court found the three men to have played an “indispensable role” in the importation of shabu concealed inside aluminum pallets carrying sacks of tapioca starch.
The illegal drugs were discovered after the winning bidder at the auction noticed white powder falling from one of the aluminum pallets while it was being lifted by a forklift.
A total of 148.80972 kilograms of shabu with an estimated value of P998,306,096 were recovered, the DOJ said.
It said that Asimuddin, Delos Reyes, and Fernandez “were charged for importation of dangerous drugs by means of false and fraudulent invoice declarations concerning the true kind, nature, quality, and quantity of the shipment, which was declared as ‘tapioca starch’ when, in truth and in fact, it also contained methamphetamine hydrochloride concealed inside aluminum pellets.” (Jeffrey Damicog)
