TWO Filipinos who arrived from Thailand last September 7 were immediately arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after their luggage yielded more than 151 kilos of high grade (‘Kush’) marijuana worth P227 million.
District Collector Alexandra Y. Lumontad, in her report to Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno, said the contraband were found in the 6 check-in luggage of the suspects who were not named. Both arrived on board a Cebu Pacific flight from Bangkok.
Lumontad noted the seizure was the biggest thus far at the country’s premier gateway involving smuggled cannabis.
She added the illegal drug were found during a routine passenger profiling and their check-in luggage subjected to non-intrusive (X-ray) examination that showed “suspicious images.” This prompted the assigned Customs officers to conduct a 100 percent physical examination of the luggage.
The assigned ‘K9’ unit of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed the presence of illegal drugs that resulted to the suspects’ arrest.
The seized drugs and the suspects are now under the custody of PDEA for further investigation and the filing of appropriate charges, Lumontad said.
“This significant interception highlights our intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and secure our borders.
“The Bureau of Customs will remain vigilant and steadfast in preventing illegal drugs from entering the country,” Comm. Nepomuceno said in a brief statement.