The Bureau of Immigration (BI) anti-terrorist group (ATG) intercepted a Filipina woman found to be carrying cocaine worth more than P24 million at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The passenger, identified as Joy Dagonano Gulmatico, arrived from Sierra Leone aboard an Ethiopian Air flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
BI-ATG head Bienvenido Castillo III said that they monitored suspicious flight patterns taken by the subject, hence they immediately recommended that she be inspected by members of the NAIA drug interdiction task group (DITG). Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel inspected Gulmatico’s luggage and found suspicious substances concealed inside the lining of 4 handbags and 1 suitcase.
NAIA-DITG members including personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Group, Airport Police Department, PNP Drug Enforcement Group, and National Bureau of Investigation assisted in the inspection.
BOC personnel confirmed that the powdery substance is positive for cocaine, totaling 4.574 kilograms with a street value of more than P24 million. Gulmatico faces charges for drug trafficking, in violation of Philippine laws.