DAVAO CITY –— The Bureau of Customs Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), intercepted a luggage containing methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, and arrested the passenger on March 12, 2023, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Pasay City.
Through the intensified x-ray screening operations by CUSTOMS NAIA X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) personnel, a suspicious image inside the luggage was reported and was eventually physically examined by duty customs examiner.
The passenger’s luggage yielded Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or shabu as confirmed by the PDEA team.
The subject passenger identified as a Malagasy National, arrived from Hong Kong via Ethiopian Airlines ET644 and was originally from Madagascar, East Africa as port of origin.
The passenger’s luggage was also subjected to K9 and then 100% thorough physical examination resulted to the discovery of 6.0 kilograms of shabu with estimated street value of Php40,800,000.00.
The passenger is currently undergoing custodial investigation of PDEA for initiation of corresponding inquest proceedings for the violation of RA 9165 and RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization Act (CMTA).
BOC-NAIA, under the guidance of Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio, remains committed to protecting the country against smuggling attempts along the borders, aligned with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Customs NAIA will continue to be vigilant in border protection efforts, meeting revenue targets and balance with trade facilitation.
