Authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 prevented an attempted smuggling of large amounts of undeclared currency on June 25, 2025, after a Filipino passenger bound for Hong Kong was caught with over P1 million and US$580,000 hidden in their luggage.
According to the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup), the stash was uncovered during routine x-ray screening conducted by the Bureau of Customs (BoC). A manual inspection later confirmed the presence of the undeclared cash, leading to the immediate apprehension of the passenger by airport police.
The seized funds are now in the custody of the BoC for serial number identification, while the traveler remains under investigation.
This latest interception adds to a growing list of similar incidents at NAIA. In January, a Filipino and a Japanese national were caught with a combined P24.2 million in undeclared currency. A month later, another passenger was stopped with P6.6 million worth of mixed foreign currencies, including yen, euros, and Kuwaiti dinars.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas mandates travelers to declare any foreign currency exceeding US$10,000 or its equivalent, and any Philippine peso amount over P50,000. Failure to do so can lead to legal consequences under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
Avsegroup chief Brig. Gen. Jason L. Capoy emphasized the significance of coordinated efforts in safeguarding the country’s ports. “This successful operation underscores the critical role of inter-agency collaboration among airport authorities,” he said.
