Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno praised the Ninoy Aquino International Airport collection district for the recent seizure of smuggled hybrid cannabis valued at P227 million at NAIA Terminal 3.
In a statement, the Bureau of Customs chief said the seizure of 151,334 grams of kush on September 7 marked “the largest capture of such a shipment in the history of the Port of NAIA.”
The illegal substances were discovered in six checked-in bags belonging to two Filipino travelers arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, via Cebu Pacific Flight 53932.
During standard passenger profiling, the baggage was selected for x-ray examination.
The detection of suspicious images led to a 100% physical inspection, which uncovered several transparent packages containing suspected kush.
K9 units from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed the presence of illegal narcotics.
The suspects were apprehended for violating Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) and were informed of their legal rights.
An inventory confirmed the total amount at 151,334 grams, with a street value of ₱227 million.
The confiscated drugs and suspects were handed over to PDEA for appropriate investigation and handling.
The operation was made possible through collaboration with the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.
“This significant interception underscores our enhanced efforts to combat drug trafficking and secure our borders. The Bureau of Customs will continue to be vigilant and resolute in preventing illegal drugs from entering the nation,” Nepomuceno said.
NAIA District Collector Alexandra Lumontad also highlighted, “This achievement illustrates the significance of rigorous enforcement measures and robust inter-agency cooperation.“
