Pinoy linked to Laos drug bust probed

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities in Laos have arrested a Filipino after intercepting P3.5 billion worth of illegal drugs bound for Manila.

Identified only as “Fahad” from Marawi, probers are examining bank transfers linking the suspect to one alias “Boyet,” who reportedly left the country for Hong Kong a day before authorities obtained information about him, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Isagani Nerez said yesterday.

Philippine National Police spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said they are working with foreign counterparts to determine Fahad’s role and whether other Filipinos were involved in the foiled drug shipment.

Traffickers, whose drug supply was believed to have originated in Mindanao and shipped to Metro Manila, may have shifted to air travel after repeated maritime interdictions disrupted their operations, Nerez said.

Lao authorities had seized from a private jet 521 kilos of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride worth about P3.5 billion.

Reports of a separate shipment of more than one ton of suspected shabu seized in Thailand are being verified.

Nerez said the vessel involved was on the PDEA’s target list.

Two weeks before illegal drugs bound for Manila were intercepted in Laos and Thailand, Nerez said intelligence agents prepared and coordinated with other law enforcement agencies.

In Metro Manila, police are stepping up operations against drug rings.

For an undisclosed period, the Southern Police District has arrested 97 drug suspectcs across six cities and one municipality.

Over P2.6 million worth of shabu, marijuana, kush, Ecstasy, cocaine and ketamine were seized from 71 users and 26 pushers.

Parcels yield drugs

At least P43.7 million worth of illegal drugs were found stashed in abandoned parcels from Belgium, Canada, India, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

The contraband was seized at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay.

The smugglers concealed the illegal drugs in shipments of handbags, food containers, sandals and toys to mislead authorities.

Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno underscored the need for stricter inspections and close coordination with other law enforcement agencies to deter drug smuggling.

The Bureau of Customs will turn over the contraband to PDEA. — EJ Macababbad, Artemio Dumlao, Rudy Santos