Criminals are getting more creative.
This was the observation of some Filipinos after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized high-grade marijuana, locally known as “kush,” concealed inside boxes of Labubu keychains.
The BOC intercepted the 538-gram shipment, which was declared as “keychains” and was bound for Biñan, Laguna.
The parcel, which originated from Hong Kong, was intercepted at Clark Port. It arrived on November 15 and was flagged by authorities after suspicious images appeared during X-ray scanning.
By November 19, authorities from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conducted a K9 sniff test, which yielded positive results for narcotics.
The BOC said that a full physical examination followed, revealing two boxes of Labubu keychains, each containing two transparent sealed pouches filled with dried leaves and fruiting tops suspected to be high-grade marijuana.
Meanwhile, the use of Labubu keychains in the smuggling attempt drew attention online, with Filipinos commenting on the “creativity” of the suspects in hiding illegal drugs.
“Upgraded na ah, dati sa Fudgee bar lang ‘yan tinatago eh,” a Facebook user wrote, referring to illegal drugs supposedly smuggled in small moist cake snacks.
“Parang sa pelikula ah,” another commented.
“Daming paraan [makapuslit] ng droga,” a different Pinoy said.
“Ang tatalino talaga ng gumawa [niyan],” another wrote.
The Labubu keychain is a plush accessory featuring Labubu, a character from “The Monsters” series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung.
Labubu is characterized by its pointed ears, wide eyes, and distinctive smile.
The keychain previously became a trend among Filipinos, many of whom used it to accessorize their bags.
