3 Taiwanese nabbed for attempted drug smuggling

Three Beijing-bound Taiwanese nationals were intercepted yesterday morning by anti-narcotics agents while about to sneak out of the country more than 10 kilos of ketamine powder at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Customs Commissioner Napoleon "Boy" Morales identified the three Taiwanese as Lin Yi-Hsiang, Cheng Fen-Feng and Lin Wu Hsin. The illegal cargo was discovered when it passed through the X-ray machine at NAIA.

The three men were to take a Macau Airlines flight to Beijing, China.

Morales said the drugs were concealed in nine packs of assorted brands of milk, Tang, Quaker Oats and Ovaltine contained in three check-in baggage.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said they received a tip from Taiwanese officials that the three suspects were drug couriers. They arrived at the NAIA last Aug. 22 and were promptly put under surveillance.

Customs examiners Gamal Derongongan, Lorenzo Supremo and PNP personnel manning the X-ray machine asked the three Taiwanese to open their baggage after dark images registered onscreen.

Gamal said the three attempted to bribe him to allow the baggage to pass through but he insisted on opening it in the presence of the aviation police, PDEA agents, Customs and airport officials.

Nine packs containing a brownish substance were found in the baggage and sent to the laboratory for testing. Results of the test indicated that the substance was ketamine, a pain reliever used by veterinarians for horses but has become popular among drug dependents not only in Taiwan but also in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore.

If sold in the Philippines, the haul would reportedly amount to around $1 million.

Morales and Santiago said these chemicals are brought to the country in liquid form and cooked to be converted into powder.

Authorities are under strict instruction to subject all chemicals to rigid screening and test at airports and at seaports all over the country.

According to Superintendent Francis Gabriel, PDEA information chief, the three suspects are now detained at the PDEA’s Metro Manila Regional Office.