Government agents apprehended an African tourist at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) after discovering P27 million worth of illegal drugs in his possession.
The foreigner, who arrived on a flight from South Africa via Hong Kong, was intercepted during the screening process at the International Arrival Area – Terminal 2 on Thursday, September 18.
His luggage was flagged and underwent profiling and a non-intrusive examination by Customs personnel from the Port of Cebu, which revealed suspicious x-ray images.
The items were then referred for additional verification, where a K-9 sweep indicated the potential presence of illegal drugs.
“A subsequent physical examination confirmed the discovery of two packages containing a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, concealed within the passenger’s luggage,” said Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
The illegal substance weighed approximately four kilograms.
Field tests conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Laboratory verified the substance was indeed methamphetamine hydrochloride.
