P45-million cocaine stashed in kids’ books seized

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has seized 3.397 kilos of high-grade cocaine hidden in children’s books and arrested three persons in separate operations last week, officials said yesterday.

NBI agents arrested Ma. Clara Bedico as she was talking to her alleged handler, Alvin Avila, in a fastfood restaurant near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after she was offloaded from her flight on March 28.

Avila was supposed to help her rebook her flight.

NBI and anti-narcotics operatives searched the two suspects and noticed that Bedico’s luggage contained books – which bore titles in Portuguese – that were unusually heavy.

The law enforcers ripped the books open and found crystalline powder that the NBI’s chemistry division later confirmed was cocaine.

The NBI said the cocaine had a street value of P30 million to P45 million.

Bedico was bound for Thailand and was supposed to proceed to Brazil, allegedly collect another shipment, and return to Manila, the NBI said.

Bedico’s alleged recruiter, Antonette Mendiola, was arrested in a Pasig City hotel, where her luggage was supposed to be kept until Avila managed to rebook her flight.

NBI deputy director for investigative service Vicente de Guzman III said the suspects are alleged members of the Western African Drug Syndicate operating in the country.

He said the syndicate entices unsuspecting Filipinas through Facebook to be transport jewelry, “not knowing that they were carrying illegal drugs.”

Bedico said Avila promised her money to “bring the jewelry to Thailand, where a person will contact her as she arrives and give her a ticket to Brazil.”

De Guzman said the syndicate was able to get the illegal drugs past immigration officers at the airport and it was only through a tip that they detected that Bedico was on her way out of the county.

He said a follow-up operation is underway to flush out the other members of the syndicate, both Filipino and Nigerian. 

The suspects were charged with illegal possession of and conspiring to transport dangerous drugs before the Department of Justice.