MANILA, Philippines — Anti-narcotics operatives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted parcels containing marijuana at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City, the PNP-Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) said on Sunday.
The Avsegroup, along with the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Task Group, found 10 abandoned parcels with marijuana at CMEC on June 13 following an alert from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regarding suspicious packages.
The packages came from different locations in Thailand.
Upon manual inspection, authorities discovered that 5,703 grams of dried marijuana leaves were hidden within items falsely claimed to be tea, dried fruits, toys, clothing and various goods.
The illegal items, which are valued at around P8,554,500, were handed over to the PDEA for further investigation.
Avsegroup chief Gen. Christopher Abecia said that the operation “highlights the effectiveness of seamless inter-agency coordination and the crucial role of proactive intelligence in dismantling transnational drug smuggling efforts.”
