PDEA, BOC RENEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO FIGHT DRUG SMUGGLING

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have renewed their strategic partnership to intensify the fight against illegal drugs in the country.

The renewed collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R Nerez and BOC Commissioner Ariel F Nepomuceno on February 26, 2026, at the PDEA National Headquarters in Quezon City. The signing ceremony was attended by key officials from both agencies, signaling a unified commitment to safeguarding the nation’s borders.

Under the new agreement, PDEA and BOC will enhance operational coordination through advanced information-sharing, integrated systems, and joint efforts targeting the smuggling, importation, transportation, and transshipment of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs).

The MOA also emphasized digital innovation as a cornerstone of border security. Both agencies will implement integrated databases, pre-shipment inspection systems, and modernized scanning facilities, making it more resilient and foolproof.

A central feature of the partnership is the establishment of a Drug Interdiction Task Group, designed to foster closer collaboration between PDEA and BOC. The task group will oversee intelligence exchange, joint investigation of suspected drug smuggling activities, and sharing of best practices and operational expertise.

Director General Nerez underscored the significance of the renewed partnership. “This agreement sends a clear message to drug syndicates: our ports are not safe havens for drug trafficking. By combining PDEA’s expertise with BOC’s border control capabilities, we are determined to intercept illegal drugs before they reach our communities,” he said.

He added, “Drug smuggling is a complex and evolving threat. Unified action across law enforcement agencies ensures that every opportunity to exploit our borders is met with swift, decisive action”.

Making the renewed MOA even more significant, on February 10, 2026, PDEA and BOC, in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), successfully carried out a major anti-drug interdiction operation resulting in the seizure of approximately 41 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu,” with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of ₱278,000,000.00. The illegal consignment was intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in North Harbor, Manila, underscoring the agencies’ strengthened inter-agency collaboration in combating the entry of illegal drugs into the country. Photos: Luis R Villacarlos