A Customs-NAIA agent examines the recovered jewelry worth P80 million hidden in the lavatory of a PAL aircraft. Photo courtesy of Customs-NAIA
BOC-NAIA seizes P80M worth of jewelry found in plane
ASSORTED pieces of jewelry worth P80 million hidden inside a lavatory of a Philippine Airlines (PAL) aircraft were discovered by officials of the Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA) at NAIA Terminal 2, Thursday.
The Customs-NAIA district collector ordered a parallel investigation to unmask the still-unknown individual who brought the contraband using a commercial flight.
Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang, Customs Deputy Collector for Passenger Services, said in the initial investigation, the bulk of jewelry was found hidden inside PAL Flight PR301 from Hong Kong that arrived Thursday night in NAIA T2.
Mangaoang said she got a call from the Aircraft Operation Division (AOD) that they found a mysterious plastic bag stashed inside the aircraft lavatory.
Initially, Customs-NAIA officials mistaken it for illegal drugs, but upon inspection, it was discovered to be pieces of assorted jewelry.
Authorities believe that an “insider” or someone who is knowledgeable in aircraft operations hid the jewelry wrapped in plastic and neatly placed it inside the airplane lavatory.
“Kabisado nung taong involved sa illegal contrabands,” according to Customs officials.
The confiscated jewelry was turned over to the proper authority for safekeeping and further investigation.
