MANILA— The government will intensify inspections of all incoming cargo shipments from Laos to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs, including shipments concealed using magnetic lifters, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.

Remulla announced the measure following the seizure of 200 kilograms of suspected shabu worth approximately ₱1.36 billion at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila, on Nov. 4.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2026 Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards National Awarding Ceremony at Camp Crame, Remulla stressed the need for stronger intelligence-sharing and coordinated enforcement among Southeast Asian countries to intercept large-scale drug shipments.

The latest seizure followed the interception of 521 kilograms of suspected shabu worth around ₱3.54 billion aboard a private aircraft reportedly bound for Manila at Luang Prabang International Airport in Laos on Oct. 1.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC), acting on intelligence information relayed through the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), flagged the shipment for inspection through its Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service.

Authorities subjected the container to X-ray scanning, K9 inspection and Raman spectrometer testing, with initial examinations yielding positive results for methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.

Remulla cited the two incidents as evidence of the importance of regional cooperation in disrupting international drug trafficking networks.

He said the Marcos administration’s anti-drug strategy focuses on cutting off illegal drug supplies at their source rather than concentrating enforcement efforts on street-level users and small-time pushers.

The DILG chief also attributed the increase in shabu prices to reduced supply, citing a rise to ₱6,800 per gram from ₱3,800 during the previous administration.

He also questioned the lack of vigilance against drug smuggling through ports in previous years.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. has ordered an investigation into possible connections between the major drug seizures in Manila and Laos.

The probe will examine whether the Nov. 4 interception at MICP and the October seizure in Laos were linked to a common international drug trafficking network.

“Our priority is to identify those behind these operations, disrupt their supply routes, and ensure that the Philippines will never become a safe passage for international drug syndicates,” Nartatez said in a statement.

The PNP is also investigating the consignee of the seized shipment to determine whether it was part of a broader smuggling operation.

Nartatez said the police force is strengthening surveillance and intelligence-sharing with local and foreign law enforcement agencies to identify and intercept illegal shipments moving through international trade routes.

“We are examining these major seizures beyond their individual circumstances to determine whether they point to a common drug trafficking network operating across borders,” he noted.

During Wednesday’s inspection of the seized shipment, Remulla and BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said authorities would coordinate with the PNP and other agencies to trace the cargo’s origin, establish its route and identify other individuals who may have participated in the attempted smuggling. (PNA)