Foreigner nabbed in NAIA after almost P20M worth of alleged cocaine found in luggage

Authorities arrested a foreigner upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after almost P20 million worth of alleged cocaine were found in his suitcase.

The suspect was identified as Stephen Joseph Szuhar, 75, an American citizen, according to a report of Nico Waje on GMA News' Unang Balita on Wednesday.

It was Szuhar's first time to travel to the Philippines. He came from Brazil and traveled to the Philippines via a connecting flight in Doha, Qatar to allegedly get money in a bank in Manila.

Operatives of the NAIA Inter Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, acting on a tip, waited for Szuhar. They found more than 3 kilograms of alleged cocaine estimated to be worth P19.6 million in the suspect's suitcase.

"Nagsimula po ito sa isang intelligence information na galing sa ating counterparts po na wherein a certain individual po ay magdadala ng undetermined amount ng illegal drugs dito," IA3 Gerald Javier, deputy task group commander of the task group, said.

(This started from intelligence information from our counterparts saying a certain individual will bring an undetermined amount of illegal drugs here.)

The suspect however said the illegal drugs are not his and these may have been placed in his suitcase without his knowledge.

He said he was just asked to bring the suitcase containing clothes to a bank president in the Philippines, and that he did not check what was inside it.

"The bank in Brazil told me they were going to send some clothes to the bank here in Manila," the suspect said.

He added that he is rich as he was a former president of a casino in the US, and he does not have to sell illegal drugs to have more money.

"I don't need to sell cocaine. I have $600 million of my own in my life and about 400 million. We don't need money to sell cocaine, believe me," the suspect said.

Asked if that meant he is rich, the suspect replied: "Yes, I am. So you think I'm going to waste my time to get cocaine to somebody? That is stupid."

The suspect also said he is the husband of actress Charlize Theron.

LOOK: Nagpakilalang asawa umano ni South African actress Charlize Theron, arestado sa NAIA matapos mahulihan ng P19.6-M halaga ng cocaine | @gmanews pic.twitter.com/3T7dRm22ji

— Nico Waje (@nicowaje) September 27, 2022

Authorities are investigating if the suspect is connected to a drug syndicate. —KG, GMA News