ANTI-NARCOTICS operatives arrested a South African at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City last Saturday for smuggling 6.2 kilos of suspected shabu worth P42.16 million.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) named the suspect as Phillip Theunissen, 31, a resident of Riviera Park, Mathikeng, South Africa.
A PDEA report said Theunissen was nabbed at around 9:20 p.m. during an interdiction operation at the Customs International Arrival, Terminal 3 in NAIA.
The operation was conducted by operatives of the NAIA-Interagency Drug Interdiction Task Group composed of various law enforcement agencies, including PDEA, and the Bureau of Customs.
Seized from Theunissen’s possession was a black luggage that contained a transparent plastic pouch wrapped with black duct tape and packaging tape containing 6.2 kilos of shabu and a bundle of assorted clothes.
Also seized from Theunissen was an African passport, a cellphone, a boarding pass and a certificate of vaccination.
PDEA said Theunissen is facing violation of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022, specifically Section 4 (Importation of Dangerous Drugs and/or Controlled Precursors and Essential Chemicals).
The seized contraband is currently in the custody of PDEA Laboratory Service for further laboratory examination.
In Caloocan City, police operatives arrested three “high-value individuals” in a buy-bust operation in Barangay 28 last Saturday morning.
The three were identified by their aliases as Louie, 43; Ron, 44; and Buboy, 23; residents of Caloocan City.
Seized from them were two plastic sachets of shabu containing 57 grams of shabu worth P387,000, a cal. 45 pistol and three bullets.