P47.6M worth of shabu seized from South African passenger at NAIA

A 43-year-old South African citizen was nabbed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City over the weekend for allegedly transporting suspected shabu worth P47.634 million, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Wednesday.

In a statement, the PDEA said the suspect—an arriving passenger from Hong Kong—was arrested by the NAIA’s Inter-agency Drug Interdiction Task Group at the Terminal 3 of the airport on August 16.

According to PDEA, authorities discovered 7.005 kilos of the alleged contraband during a routine baggage inspection inside four transparent plastic bags hidden in a black luggage.

The suspect is facing charges for violating the importation of dangerous drugs under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

If found guilty, the suspect faces penalties of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10,000,000, according to PDEA.

“The operation underscores the steadfast commitment and dedication of PDEA, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, to protect our airports from being corridors of drug trafficking activities,” PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said. — Joviland Rita/RF, GMA Integrated News