An estimated P114.5 million worth of shabu was seized and three suspects were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Complex in Pasay City during an interdiction operation, authorities said Sunday.
In a statement, the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) said approximately 16,848 grams of white crystalline substance suspected to be Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or shabu, with a standard value of P114,566,400.00 was seized from three suspects during the interdiction operation at 6:54 p.m. on January 8, Thursday at the Pair-Pags Center.
In police custody are three men identified as Alias “L.A.” a Filipino man, 58-years old, single, a broker representative and a resident of Caloocan City; Alias “F.S.”, 61 years, married, a broker representative and a resident of Pasay City; and Alias “E.F.”, 35, married, a porter and a resident of Manila.
The alleged narcotics were inside four boxes wrapped with packaging tape and bearing the same airway bill number. The suspected shabu was concealed inside green figurines, together with green marble stones and tissue paper. A total of 66 transparent plastic bags containing the suspected illegal drugs were recovered, with individual box contents weighing 3,622 grams, 4,320 grams, 4,599 grams, and 4,307 grams.
The operation was carried out by the NAIA-IADITG composed of personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – Regional Office National Capital Region, Bureau of Customs through the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force, Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, Airport Police Department, Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, and the Office for Transportation Security.
Also confiscated were several sling bags, mobile phones, identification cards, a motorcycle key, a helmet, and cash amounting to Php 34,885.
The suspects face charges for violating of Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. — RF, GMA Integrated News
