Government agents intercepted two individuals attempting to smuggle methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, valued at over P304 million during two separate incidents at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Monday.
The first apprehension involved a 25-year-old passenger who was caught in possession of shabu worth over P139 million.
He arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 from Toronto, Canada, with a connecting flight from Hong Kong.
Suspicion arose when X-ray screeners at the Arrival International Area detected an unusual image in a blue piece of luggage.
A Customs agent conducted a manual inspection, which uncovered five transparent plastic bags, each wrapped in foil and duct tape, containing a white crystalline substance believed to be illegal drugs.
The Bureau of Customs immediately coordinated with the PNP Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup), the Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, and the Philippine Drug Agency K9 Team.
Upon their arrival, a PDEA narcotic detection dog positively identified the luggage, confirming initial suspicions.
Field tests later confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), weighing a total of 20,554 grams, with an estimated street value of P139,762,200.
Later that day, a second passenger, a woman, was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 for possessing over 24 kilograms of shabu, also arriving from Canada.
The operation began when Office for Transportation Security personnel detected suspicious white substances during routine X-ray screening of the passenger’s luggage.
This prompted a Customs inspector to conduct a thorough manual inspection in the presence of the passenger, revealing multiple plastic bags containing white crystalline powder.
Further field testing by the PDEA confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine, weighing approximately 24,231 grams, with an estimated value of P164,770,800.
The arrested passengers, along with the seized items, are now in police custody.
The suspects face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
“These arrests demonstrate the government’s strong commitment to combating illegal drugs. Cooperation among law enforcement agencies at airports is crucial,” stated Avsegroup Director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy.
