Liberian held at NAIA for P55.33 million shabu

MANILA, Philippines — A foreigner was arrested upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City on Monday night for allegedly smuggling 8.13 kilos of shabu valued at P55.33 million into the country.

Anti-narcotics agents took into custody Philip Campbell, 34, who arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 at around 7:30 p.m. on a Qatar Airways flight.

According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Campbell originally came from Lagos, Nigeria and made a stopover in Doha in Qatar.

He was initially held by Bureau of Immigration personnel due to lack of papers.

Campbell concealed the illegal drugs in improvised pouches of dried shrimp and condiments to avoid detection. However, these were spotted by customs examiners in the foreigner’s baggage during x-ray screening.

When airport authorities confirmed Campbell was carrying illegal drugs, they confiscated his passport, two boarding passes and his cell phone.

The suspect is being held on charges of importation of illegal drugs and violation of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Meanwhile, a parcel bound for South Korea that contained 500 grams of shabu valued at P3.4 million was intercepted in San Andres Bukid in Manila on Monday night.

The illegal drugs were surrendered by employees of Golong Consumer Goods Trading at around 8 p.m., according to the police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).

The PDEG identified the sender of the package, which was delivered by a Grab rider, as Japanese national Ken Fujita.

During inspection, police found out the parcel contained a humidifier where the illegal drugs were hidden. — Evelyn Macairan, Rudy Santos