The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) has apprehended two alleged members of drug syndicates as they attempted to get a package at the Federal Express Cargo Warehouse inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) complex.
BOC Enforcement Group (EG) Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno on November 14 presented suspects Ronald Puerto Revera, 26, from Bagumbong, Caloocan City,and Bryan Levantico Cortes, also 26, from San Francisco, Mabalacat, Pampanga, who were arrested for alleged possession and importation of about 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, more popularly known in the country as shabu.
The seized shabu had an estimated street value of P8 million, and was turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The suspects were arrested November 12 after claiming a bag, which arrived at NAIA on October 21, from the warehouse. A certain Kinzolani Guylain from Congo was identified as the sender of the bag, which was initially declared to contain wigs and shirts. However, when the bag was examined, the BOC examiner found shabu packed and sewn into the bag’s inner panel, resulting in an alert order being issued.
The suspects, currently in the custody of BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), will also be turned over to PDEA. Charges were filed against them for violation of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, and R.A. No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The seizure of the contraband and arrest of the suspects were the results of joint operations by the Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, BOC-NAIA ESS, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group that includes PDEA, Philippine National Police and NAIA-Airport Police operatives.
