NAIA-IADITG agents examine the more than 21 kilograms of shabu worth at least P144.2 million, which were smuggled into the country by a 60-year-old South African national.
DEG, PDEA seize over P202M shabu
TWO successive anti-narcotics operations conducted by joint government anti-narcotics agents on Friday and Saturday resulted in the seizure of more than P202 million worth of shabu and the arrest of a 60-year-old South African national, a report to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. said.
PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) Director Brig. Gen. Narciso D. Domingo said that around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, officers from the DEG Intelligence and Foreign Liaison Group and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADTG) conducted a controlled delivery operation at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
The sting led to the arrest of South African national Mark Wienand and the confiscation of two hard luggage cases containing at least 21.2 kilograms of the so-called “poor man’s cocaine” or shabu worth P144,262,000.
The drugs were wrapped in duct tape and concealed inside the two luggage cases containing assorted clothes and shoes.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), headed by Director-General Wilkins M. Villanueva, said that they launched the operation following information from the United States Homeland Security that the suspect came from South Africa and had a connecting flight to Qatar from Manila.
The suspect was placed under the custody of the PDEA following his arrest.
Around 10:30 a.m. Friday, NAIA-IADTG operatives also conducted a controlled delivery operation at the Bureau of Plant Industry in San Andres Street in Bgy. 706, Malate, Manila, which led to the recovery of a parcel containing an estimated P58.3 million worth of shabu.
The parcel was declared as “foodstuff” and was shipped by one “Anvin Medina”, of C. Francisco St. in Makati City. The shipper is now undergoing a thorough investigation.
When opened, the parcel contained 16 plastic containers with the shabu and four plastic packets containing assorted dried condiments.
Non-bailable criminal charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the suspects.
Controlled delivery, as defined in RA 9165, is an investigation technique of allowing an unlawful or suspect consignment of any Dangerous Drug (DD) and Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals (CPECs), equipment or paraphernalia, or property believed to be derived directly or indirectly from any offense, to pass into, through or out of the country under the supervision of an authorized officer, with a view of gathering evidence to identify any person involved in any dangerous drugs related offense, or to facilitate prosecution of that offense.
It is a form of entrapment where diligence must be exercised in the conduct of delivery to its destination by observing the rules on evidence and warrantless arrests, searches, and seizures, said Domingo, who has been ordered by Azurin to lead the PNP’s “unrelenting” campaign against illegal drug trafficking.
