P29.7M Worth of Drugs Seized at NAIA — Hidden in 'Garden Sculptures' and Air Filters
Customs agents at NAIA just intercepted P29.712 million worth of illegal drugs stashed inside some very creative hiding spots. The Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA) announced Thursday that three suspicious parcels arriving from Germany and South Africa were flagged and seized at a Pasay cargo facility on March 2.
Two of the parcels were shipped from Berlin and declared as "garden sculptures" — but inside, agents found over 4,000 grams of a white powdery substance suspected to be MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. The combined haul was valued at P5.26 million and was consigned to a recipient in Pasig City. Hindi talaga garden sculptures 'yan.
The third parcel was even more suspicious. Shipped from Lusaka, Zambia, it was declared as "vehicle air filters" and addressed to a recipient in Dasmariñas, Cavite. When agents cracked it open, they found four cylindrical air filters wrapped in carbon paper and masking tape containing approximately 3,596 grams of suspected shabu worth P24.45 million.
BOC-NAIA District Collector Yasmin Mapa said the operation was a coordinated effort between the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, PNP Aviation Security Group, Airport Police Department, PDEA, and the BOC Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force. The seized substances were turned over to PDEA for further investigation.
This latest bust is part of a disturbing trend of drug shipments being smuggled through airport cargo facilities. Just last month, customs officers seized P36.8 million worth of shabu hidden in fake CCTV cameras, handbags, and hot water bottles on February 11, plus another P5.6 million in high-grade marijuana found in abandoned parcels on February 13.
Source: The Manila Times
