Labubu Toys Used to Sneak High-Grade Mariju*na Into PH
LABUBU – What seemed like harmless toy collectibles turned into a major drug bust when Customs found high-grade marijuana hidden inside Labubu dolls.
Authorities from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) – Port of Clark intercepted more than P800,000 worth of smuggled high-grade mariju*na, commonly known as “kush,” that had been concealed inside a pair of Labubu dolls.
According to initial reports, the suspicious parcel had been declared merely as “keychains” and was intended for delivery to Biñan City, Laguna. The package arrived in the Philippines on November 15, and BOC personnel immediately noted irregularities after it passed through an X-ray scanner. The scan revealed unusual shapes and densities inconsistent with the declared contents, prompting agents to heighten their scrutiny.
To confirm their suspicions, officers subjected the parcel to a K-9 sniff test, where trained narcotics dogs alerted to the presence of illegal substances. This led the BOC team to conduct a physical inspection of the shipment. Upon opening the package, authorities discovered four plastic sachets of kush hidden inside two stuffed Labubu toys—popular collectible figures known for their quirky design and rising value in the toy-collector community.
The seizure highlights the increasingly creative methods smugglers employ to traffic illegal drugs into the country. By using designer toy collectibles as concealment, smugglers attempt to exploit the assumption that such items are harmless or intended for personal use. Customs officials emphasized that their vigilance, along with advanced screening equipment and trained K-9 units, plays a crucial role in detecting deceptive smuggling attempts.
The BOC reiterated its commitment to preventing illegal drugs from entering the Philippines and stressed that stricter monitoring remains in place, especially during the holiday season when parcel volume increases significantly. An investigation is now underway to track down the individuals behind the smuggling attempt.
Labubu is a highly popular art collectible figure created by Kasing Lung and produced by Pop Mart. Known for its distinctive monster-like appearance, big eyes, and whimsical expressions, Labubu has become a sought-after designer toy among collectors worldwide. Its popularity and rarity make it valuable—traits that smugglers in this incident tried to take advantage of as a hiding place for contraband.
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