Consistent with its mandate to protect the borders against illegal drugs, the Bureau of Customs-Port of Clark, under the leadership of District Collector Elvira Cruz, together with the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), arrested a passenger carrying P18,380,400.00 worth of cocaine inside his luggage.

On May 23, 2023, the Passenger Services Division of the Port of Clark, in coordination with Clark-CAIDTF and PDEA Clark Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, conducted drug interdiction operations at the Clark International Airport Terminal 2 based on information from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) that a suspicious traveler carrying suspected illegal drugs would be arriving via Emirates airline.

The individual, a Surinamese national originating from Brazil, arrived from Dubai via Flight Number EK338. His luggage underwent X-ray inspection, K9 sniffing, and a 100% physical examination, which led to the discovery of 3,468 grams of white powdered substance suspected to be cocaine. The substances were concealed in 30 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bags wrapped in mesh cloth and blue carbon paper.

Samples were turned over to PDEA for chemical laboratory analysis, which confirmed the substances as cocaine, a dangerous drug under R.A. No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A Warrant of Seizure and Detention will be issued against the illegal drugs for violations of Section 118(g), 119(d), and 1113 par. (f) of R.A. No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act in relation to RA No. 9165.

The arrested individual is currently in the custody of PDEA, and a case for violation of Section 4 Article II of R.A. No. 9165 will be filed.

“This latest apprehension is a result of our increased vigilance and strengthened intelligence gathering as means of guarding our borders, especially now that we are seeing our tourism getting back to normal,” said District Collector Elvira Cruz.

“We remain firm in our commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to curb illegal drug smuggling in the country. We pledge to further improve and strengthen our measures on drug interdiction,” said Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio.#