MANILA, Philippines — Ang episyenteng profiling ng mga pasahero at x-ray image analysis na ginagamit ng Bureau of Customs (BOC) ang siyang nagresulta sa pagkakaaresto ng isang South African national na may dalang P42.1-milyong halaga ng hinihinalang shabu, sakay ng isang flight, na dumating sa NAIA Terminal 3 noong Sabado, Oktubre 12.
Mabilis ding umaksiyon ang BOC matapos na makita ang kahina-hinalang x-ray imaging result at inaresto ang dayuhang si Phillip Theunissen, na dumating sa bansa lulan ng flight ET 644 mula sa Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Pinuri naman ni BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio ang grupo ng ahensiya sa NAIA para sa matagumpay na deteksiyon sa ilegal na droga, na tumitimbang ng 6.2 kilo. Aniya, “Many transnational syndicates and organizations continue to use our ports as corridors to smuggle illegal drugs and disseminate them from Metro Manila to far-flung provinces. With many others, our agents were hard at work in disrupting these criminal networks.”
Idinetalye naman ni BOC-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Director Verne Enciso kung paano naganap ang pag-aresto.
Ani Enciso, “Our agents immediately became suspicious with the check-in luggage because of the x-ray imaging results. It was marked “x” as it underwent K-9 sweeping that also resulted in positive indications.”
“The subjected luggage was then physically examined and our agents found white crystalline substance that allegedly looked like methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu. The substance was hidden under the passenger’s suitcase,” dagdag pa ni Enciso.
Kaagad ring ipiniit si Theunissen habang iniimbestigahan ang insidente.
Tiniyak naman ni Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy na magdodoble-kayod ang kanilang ahensiya upang imbestigahan ang naturang pinakahuling operasyon at usigin ang mga taong nasa likod ng iskima.