MANILA, Philippines – Customs authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 confiscated some 14 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as shabu from Bangkok, amounting to some P140 million, brought into the country by two Malaysians.
Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez with national customs police director Joey Yuchongco identified the drug couriers as Teo Chee Keong 43, and Richard Oh, who arrived on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR 733 from Bangkok around 3:50 a.m.
Alvarez said that despite the absence of the mobile X-ray machines at the Terminal 2 Customs examiner Beth Pableo was able to profile Teo Chee Keong who was carrying some seven kilos of shabu while Richard Oh who also brought some seven kilos of shabu in his luggage was able to elude apprehension by leaving his luggage at the baggage assistance counter when he noticed the presence of customs drug enforcers leaving Keong alone.
Alvarez said the 14 kilos of shabu were placed in the false bottom of their brown luggage hoping to mislead authorities.
Keong and Oh sat one seat apart (22A and 22C).
Customs deputy collector for passenger services Teresita Roque and Task Force on Dangerous Drugs and Controlled Chemicals chief Sherwin Andrada said Keong admitted that the luggage belongs to him but he denied its content.
“I was in Bangkok airport about to check in when my original luggage was destroyed and someone helped me by lending me one of his luggages which is very identical with mine,” Keong said.
Roque and Andrada examined and tested the shipment in the presence of Alvarez, Keong and the other drug enforcers and it showed positive results.
Aviation police headed by Superintendent Raniel Valones are now looking for Oh who might have been able to slip out of the country.
Alvarez hailed his men at the BOC “iyong mga nagbabalak ng masama sa gobyerno natin, sa mga illegal activities, ang suggestion ko sa inyo tumigil na kayo dahil kitang kita ko ang taas ng moral ng ating empleado ngayon gusto nilang magpakita ng maganda kaya sa tingin ko hindi na kayo makakalusot pa.” (For those who are planning to cheat the government through illegal means, better stop it, you won’t get away with it), Alvarez said. – With AP