Pasay City: Government authorities seized PHP29.7 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City over the weekend. In a statement on Tuesday, District Collector Yasmin Mapa said the contraband, weighing 4,368 grams, was discovered during a routine screening of the luggage of a passenger arriving from Malaysia on June 14, 2025. The passenger was immediately arrested, Mapa said.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio stated that the interception is a testament to the bureau's sustained vigilance and the dedication of its personnel. "We remain steadfast in our mission to secure our borders against drug trafficking and all forms of smuggling," he added.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG). The seized drugs and the arrested suspect were turned over to PDEA for inquest proceedings for violations of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as amended) and Republic Act No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).
