Ports, terminals alerted: Stinky luggage may have drugs

CEBU, Philippines — Stinky luggage? This might just be a diversion.

Police have found out that couriers of illegal drugs manage to slip through security at ports and terminals by placing soiled clothes inside bags purposely to discourage security personnel from inspecting contents thoroughly.

“Puro maruruming damit. Syempre mangangamoy, hindi maganda, kaya hindi nalang siguro nache-check ng maayos,” said Cebu City Police Director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria.

This was reportedly proven during a string of anti-illegal drugs operations last week that yielded shabu worth more than P1 million.

Doria said they have deployed at least three teams to brief port and terminal personnel of the latest tactic.

The briefings are led by the city police’s City Intelligence Branch and City Drug Enforcement Unit in cooperation with the Police Community Relations team.

“May instructions na ako sa chief sa CIB and DEU, at saka PCR, they will be conducting information dissemination, ise-seminar nila yung mga security personnel manning yung mga ports and terminals on this modus operandi,” Doria said.

He said a slight delay in schedule at ports and terminals as a result of a thorough inspection of luggage is a small price to pay for stopping the transport of illegal drugs and arresting dealers.

“They should brief properly yung personnel nila. Let the owner ng bag tanggalin ang laman to make sure wala silang dala. Although may delay, it is to make sure walang makakalusot na drugs,” Doria said.

Supt. Reyman Tolentin, the spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-7, also suggested deploying more K-9 units.

“Kung sagulan nila og smelly na clothes, we will find other means to really inspect anang mga backpacks nga naa posible nga drugs sa kauluhan nga mag-display lang og backpacker. We will be coordinating with their (ports and terminals) security pud,” he said.

He advised port and terminal personnel:

“It’s a warning nga if there is something in it, if baho na, at first encounter, they should properly deal with it seriously, they should not be complacent.” —/JMO (FREEMAN)