Indonesian caught with P54-M shabu

MANILA, Philippines — An estimated P54 million worth of suspected shabu was seized from an Indonesian tourist at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City before dawn yesterday.

Agnes Alexandra, 40, was apprehended by anti-narcotics operatives at the Customs arrival area of the NAIA Terminal 3.

Probers said Alexandra, who is from Bali, Indonesia, arrived at the airport on a Cebu Pacific flight from Siem Reap, Cambodia at around 1:30 a.m.

The suspect allegedly yielded around eight kilos of shabu, which she concealed in a black luggage.

The illegal drug was packed in the innings of the luggage, but was discovered by airport operatives when it passed through the X-ray machine.

Alexandra initially denied that she owned the drugs, saying someone at the Cambodia airport asked her to bring the luggage to the Philippines.

The drugs will be turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Laboratroy Service for examination.

In Quezon City, at least P374,000 worth of shabu was confiscated from a drug suspect over the weekend.

Mordan Aruyod, 35, was nabbed at a fastfood restaurant along Villiongco street in Barangay Commonwealth.

Police said they recovered nine sachets containing around 50 grams of shabu and P10,000 in marked money from Aruyod.

Four other drug suspects were collared by police in Barangays Damayan and Kaunlaran.

The suspects are being held by police on drug charges.

In Caloocan, two men were arrested for alleged possesion of P30,000 worth of shabu and an improvised shotgun.

Nestor Beruico Jr. and Earnest Ledda were nabbed by policemen who were conducting surveillance on wanted persons in Barangay 186.

Police said the suspects yielded shabu, marijuana leaves and sumpak. – With Marc Jayson Cayabyab