Drug transfer at NAIA foiled

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Authorities foiled a suspected drug courier’s attempt to transport metamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” parcel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Zamboanga City.

A certain ‎Alimar Jalil, of Cubao, Quezon City, deliberately abandoned a black bag containing shabu and fled from NAIA Terminal 4 in Pasay City as the airport security officers inspected his suspicious package last Friday, May 2.

Undersecretary Arturo Cacdac Jr., Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), said Tuesday in a statement that inside the bag were‎ 21 resealable plastic sachets concealed in two separate packages wrapped in carbon paper.

When the black bag containing small packages was subjected to an X-Ray examination, Cebu Pacific Air Cargo security officers found “organic materials” inside.

‎”The parcel was found to [have contained] organic materials as opposed to the bags and shirts reflected in the Shipper’s Advice and Certificate of Contents (SACC) filled up by its shipper (Jalil),” Cacdac said.

As the security officers had a hunch that the bag contained drugs, they then manually screened the package.

While the security personnel were about to ‎inspect the package, Jalil excused himself.

‎”Jalil replied that he ‘will just make a phone call’ but never came back,” Cacdac said.

‎The parcel was intended to be shipped to Zamboanga City to its intended consignee, a certain Emelda Lali, of Lower Calarian town.

After the authorities conducted a methamphetamine reagent field test on the contents of the sachets, all have been tested positive as shabu.

The airport security men immediately relayed the incident to the operatives of the NAIA-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), composed of elements of PDEA Regional Office- National Capital Region (PDEA RO-NCR) Airport Interdiction Unit under Atty. Jacquelyn de Guzman, and the PNP-Aviation Security Group (ASG) to pursue the suspects involved in the foiled drug transport.

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