A Filipino-American man was arrested on Monday for smuggling liquid marijuana worth 45,000 pesos (US$857) into Manila, the Philippines.
On Monday at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City, Hamre Tamayo Orion, 27, was arrested after claiming a parcel that contained the drugs. The parcel reportedly arrived at CMEC in March and was sent by Michael Arash Abedzadeh from Shanghai, China, and was labeled chocolates, Manila Standard reported.
According to CMEC Customs operatives, the parcel contained 30 vape cartridges containing liquid marijuana. CMEC Customs Collector Nora Cawili said they notified the consignee about his parcels from China and he showed up on Monday to claim them.
Orion, who is from Wisconsin in the United States and a resident of Merville Subdivision in Parañaque City in the Philippines, is now in the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and will be charged with violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In the Philippines, individuals who sell, trade, administer, transport or distribute drugs face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine from 500,000 to 10 million pesos.
Four months ago, liquid marijuana was smuggled through the CMEC from San Diego, California. The parcel was declared to be pen ink cartridges and candy and was consigned to a minor. Customs agents seized a total of 51 liquid marijuana cartridges.