Authorities intercepted an attempt to smuggle P97.8 million worth of shabu into the Philippines by two South African nationals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 in Pasay City early Friday morning.
In an Inquirer.net report, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the suspects were arrested by the Naia Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group at around 1 a.m. in the international arrivals area.
Officials discovered 14 kilograms of shabu hidden in the suspects’ luggage, along with mobile phones, travel documents, and identification cards. The contraband was detected during a Customs X-ray inspection, which raised suspicions, followed by a K-9 check and a physical examination that confirmed the presence of the drugs.
The suspects arrived in Manila on an Emirates Airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They claimed to have been offered an all-expenses-paid trip by a Nigerian acquaintance in South Africa, who instructed them to meet another Nigerian upon arrival in Manila.
The confiscated drugs were turned over to PDEA for further processing. The suspects face charges under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act), which imposes life imprisonment and fines ranging from P500,000 to P10 million for drug importation offenses.
