3 Pinoys arriving from Thailand nabbed for transporting illegal drugs

Claimant of illegal drugs nabbed at CMEC

On Sep 30, 2026

VACATIONERS TURNED DRUG MULES. The 3 Filipinos who arrived from Thailand last September 24 after luggage were found to contain more than 18 kilos of high-grade marijuana are seen covering their faces to avoid identification (photo: BOC-PIAD).

THREE Filipinos arriving after a trip to Thailand were arrested on their arrival at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last September 24 after their luggage yielded high-grade marijuana (‘Kush’) worth more than ₱18 million.

NAIA District Collector Atty. Yasmin O. Mapa, in her report to Customs Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, said the contraband was discovered during a routine scanning inspection of the suspects’ 6 luggage that initially showed “suspicious X-ray images.”

The drug claimant found himself in handcuffs after claiming a parcel containing illegal drugs at the CMEC last September 25 (photo: BOC-PIAD).

On actual examination, the luggage, which initially appeared to contain foodstuff, was found to contain 18.679 kilos of Kush with an estimated street value of ₱18,679,000.

Mapa also informed Nepomuceno that the next day, September 25, a male claimant was arrested at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City, after claiming a parcel declared as “Whey Protein.”

Unknown to him, the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) had earlier examined the package and found it to contain 743 grams of ‘Ecstasy’ worth ₱3.15 million.

Mapa said the suspect was transferred to the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for further investigation and the filing of appropriate charges.