Inaprubahan ng Department of Justice (DoJ) ang pagsasampa ng kasong smuggling laban sa customs broker na si Mark Taguba at sa walong iba pa, dahil sa pag-i-import ng 604 na kilo ng shabu noong 2017, na nagkakahalaga ng P6.4 bilyon.

Haharap sa kasong paglabag sa Customs Modernization and Tariff Act sina Taguba; Eirene Mae A. Tatad, may-ari ng EMT Trading; Teejay A. Marcellana, registered broker; Chen Ju Long, alyas “Richard Tan”, chairman at general manager ng freight forwarder na Hongfei; Li Guang Feng, alyas “Manny Li”, humawak sa pagpapalabas ng shipment mula sa Bureau of Customs (BoC); Dong Yi Shen, alyas “Kenneth Dong”; Fidel Anoche Dee, umano’y consignee; Chen I. Min; at Jhu Ming Jyun, nagrenta sa gagawing bodega ng shabu shipments.

Ang nasabing ilegal na shipment ay iniimbestigahan ng Kongreso, na una nang nagbunsod sa pagbibitiw sa puwesto ng mga pangunahing opisyal ng BoC, kabilang si dating Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon.

Sa resolusyon, ipinaliwanag ng DoJ na “the fact would readily support the conclusion that all of the respondents in this case were interested in bringing into the country container no. MCLU6001881 which was loaded with dangerous drugs secretly packed inside five steel or metal cylinders each enclosed in five wooded crates.”

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“While the relationship, transactions and participations between respondents appear to be compartmentalized, the circumstances nevertheless points towards the accomplishment of the same unlawful act i.e., smuggling or fraudulent importation of the subject shipment through conspiracy,” ayon pa sa resolusyon.

Samantala, pending pa rin sa Manila Regional Trial Court ang isa pang kaso, sa ilalim ng Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, kaugnay ng nasabing importasyon.