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Friday, March 29, 2024

Aviation cops arrest 68-year-old for marijuana possession

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Aviation policemen placed under their custody a sexagenarian passenger from Houston, Texas who was caught in possession of marijuana at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The suspect, who was identified as Augusto Reyes Madrigal, 68, was about to board a connecting flight to Cagayan de Oro at the Naia Terminal 3 when members of the Police  Aviation Security Group approached him, inspected his belongings and found the undetermined quantity of cannabis leaves.

The Avsegroup men, in close coordination with the Office for Transportation Security, waited for the arrival of Madrigal at the airport on May 9 following a tip from their informants that the subject passenger was bringing the prohibited items into the country from the United States.

Investigation showed that cannabis leaves was found tightly packed and concealed in two deodorant cases when the passenger’s luggage was being inspected. It also reported that Madrigal's fellow passenger on the same flight from Houston informed the authorities that he had drugs inside his bag.

The elder passenger claimed he always brings cannabis leaves every time he returns for vacation to Manila from Texas.

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Madrigal was brought to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings and is now under the custody of Intelligence and Investigation of Aviation Security Unit-National Capital Region.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal said Naia has heightened its vigilance in the campaign against illegal drug trafficking in a bid to discourage international and local drug syndicates from using the Philippines as a transshipment point or dumping ground for their illegal substances.

Only recently, Jesus Detollo, an MIAA building attendant, was caught with three sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu following a week-long surveillance operation on the suspect's illegal activity at the facility.

Elements of the MIAA airport police department in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority planned an entrapment operation against Detollo three weeks after they received that he peddles illegal drugs to customers at the airport.

Monreal said Detollo was contacted through his mobile number for a meet-up with the poseuor buyer at Gate 3 of the MIAA Administration compound. He added that Detollo was caught selling three sachets for P1,200. 

Detollo was turned over to the custody of the PDEA while the shabu obtained from him was sent to the PNP Crime laboratory for verification. The suspect was charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drug Act) with no bail recommended.

Airport and Customs authorities also intercepted a package shipped from Canada containing marijuana worth more than P100,000.

Four vacuum-sealed plastic pouches containing 343 grams of cannabis dried leaves, an illegal substance, was discovered in the parcel upon examination by teams from the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, Naia Customs Police and Inter Agency Task Group at the Central Mail Exchange Center warehouse in Pasay City.

A certain Deandre Travis Johnson Cruz was identified as the claimant of the seized parcel.

Another suspect, a Korean national, was also caught in possession of 117 grams of marijuana at the Naia Terminal 3 last March.

The suspect Eunho Ahn, 24, was about to board her Philippine Airlines flight bound for Busan, South Korea when members of the Office of Transportation Security led by Judy Anne de Belen found the prohibited drugs concealed in her belly.

The OTS personnel then inspected the suspect's luggage and discovered assorted tablets, believed to be ecstasy, a dangerous party drug. 

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