Customs draws the line. No sweet pass for smugglers.
Smugglers thought they could sugarcoat crime. They were wrong.

The Bureau of Customs–NAIA slammed the brakes on another drug-smuggling attempt after intercepting marijuana-infused candies, cannabis vape cartridges, and dried marijuana leaves hidden inside parcels falsely declared as ordinary sweets at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City.

The bust, carried out on January 26, 2026, sends a loud and unmistakable message: NAIA is not a playground for drug traffickers.

Acting on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to tighten the country’s borders, BOC-NAIA operatives—working hand in glove with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG)—flagged the suspicious parcels and cracked them open.

What they found was no joke:
63 packs of marijuana-laced candies, vape cartridges containing about 19.5 milliliters of cannabis oil, and 3.5 grams of dried marijuana leaves. Estimated street value? ₱6,420—small change for syndicates, but a big red flag for Customs.

And Customs did not blink.

BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno made it clear: the Bureau is tightening the noose.

“This interception underscores the Bureau’s continued efforts to detect and prevent the entry of illegal drugs through postal and courier channels,” Nepomuceno said. “We remain firm in safeguarding our borders and protecting the public.”

No qualifiers. No excuses. Just action.

Backing him up on the ground is BOC-NAIA District Collector Atty. Yasmin ‘Yas’ O. Mapa, who has made it clear that mail facilities will no longer be treated as safe passage for contraband.

“Through strengthened inspection measures and close coordination with partner agencies, BOC-NAIA continues to ensure that mail facilities are not exploited for illegal drug activities,” Mapa stressed.

Translation: No hiding place. No blind spots. No mercy.

The seized drugs—and the claimant—were immediately turned over to PDEA for inquest proceedings, facing charges under Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) and Republic Act No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).

This latest interception proves one thing: Customs is watching, and smugglers are running out of tricks. Candy boxes, vape carts, fake declarations—none of it works anymore.
Under Nepomuceno’s watch and Mapa’s frontline command, BOC-NAIA is keeping the gates locked—and the message is crystal clear:
If you try to sneak drugs into the country, Customs will catch you. And you will pay.

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