P16.5 million in cocaine allegedly found in Salvadorean national's luggage

A Salvadorean national was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after more than P16.5 million worth of cocaine was allegedly intercepted inside his luggage.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday said the suspect arrived in the country Monday, May 22, from Doha, Qatar via Qatar Airways flight QR 932, from Brazil.

He was nabbed through a joint operation conducted by the BOC, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) after receiving information that a traveler arriving at the NAIA was carrying illicit drugs.

A series of tests were conducted on the passenger’s luggage, which yielded 3,120 grams of cocaine worth at least P16,536,000.

The suspect is now facing charges for violating Republic Act (RA) No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and RA No. 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. — DVM, GMA Integrated News