South African nabbed at NAIA for P40M drug smuggle try

Customs personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday foiled an attempt to bring in some P40 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) into the country.

NAIA Customs personnel acting on a tip intercepted a 24-year-old South African woman and found the drugs in her luggage, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported.

Detained and to be turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was the South African national identified as Debbie Reyneke.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said in a post on his Twitter account that the passenger was carrying "eight kilos of shabu estimated at P40 million."

The drugs were hidden in food and chocolate drink packs, supposedly to thwart x-ray scans, the dzBB report said.

Investigation showed the Customs personnel at NAIA had been tipped off that Reyneke would arrive Tuesday. Reyneke arrived at 5:38 p.m. aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai, and was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 1 arrival area.

The drugs were believed to be for distribution in Metro Manila. — KBK, GMA News