Tummy ache gives away Venezuelan drug mule

HIS ACHING belly proved to be his undoing and revealed his P6-million “cargo.”

A Venezuelan national who arrived Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) was arrested after he was found to have swallowed a total of 92 pellets of cocaine.

Customs Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno identified the alleged drug mule as 39-year-old Ariel F. Rodriguez, who was intercepted by authorities shortly after he arrived around 11 a.m. at Naia Terminal 2 on a Philippine Airlines flight (PR 657) from Abu Dhabi.

During questioning, Rodriguez started to complain of stomachache, prompting his interrogators to bring him to Philippine General Hospital, according to an official of the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup).

X-ray results later showed that Rodriguez had ingested cocaine pellets, said the official who declined to be named for lack of clearance to discuss the case in the media.

“That’s when Rodriguez was arrested. There was evidence against him,” the official said, adding that the arresting team was tipped off about the suspect’s arrival.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Rodriguez tried to smuggle 92 pellets containing around 13 grams of cocaine each and with a street value of around P6.6 million.

Drug mules who use such modus operandi usually take laxatives upon arrival in the country of destination, the BOC said.

The operation against Rodriguez involved members of the Naia-Inter Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group composed of the BOC, Manila International Airport Authority, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), PNP-Avsegroup and its Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force.

The suspect remained in PDEA’s custody as of Tuesday.