Brazilian held for liquid cocaine at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A Brazilian woman was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Friday for allegedly smuggling 1.89 kilos of liquid cocaine worth P10.06 million into the country.

The 32-year-old suspect, identified only as Elysa, was apprehended during an interdiction operation at the international arrival area, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said yesterday.

The PDEA said Elysa claims to be a businesswoman from Chapadinha in Maranhao, Brazil.

However, during inspection of her luggage, airport authorities found 10 transparent latex pieces filled with yellowish substance, believed to be liquid cocaine, hidden in a black brassiere.

Mark Almase, Customs assistant deputy collector for passenger services at NAIA, said drug syndicates in South America offer huge amounts to innocent people to bring dangerous drugs to the Philippines.

Almase said several previously apprehended drug couriers, mostly coming from poor families, claimed they were offered $5,000 to carry the contraband.

The PDEA said airport personnel seized the suspect’s passport, boarding documents, bank cards, cell phones and other personal belongings.

They also submitted the confiscated substance to the PDEA Laboratory Service for qualitative and quantitative examination.

The suspect will be charged for violation of Section 4, Article 2 (Importation of Dangerous Drugs) of Republic Act 9165 – a provision in the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 that is punishable by life imprisonment and a fine that ranges from P500,000 to P10 million.

Meanwhile, 50 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu valued at P340,000 were confiscated from a high-value suspect in Pasay on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates, Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group director, identified the suspect only as Ben.

Quilates said Ben sold the drug during a sting in Barangay 96.