Authorities arrested a businessman after he was caught reportedly trying to sneak into the country an estimated seven kilos of of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, worth over P38.5 million, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Thursday.
PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said members of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group nabbed Roendo Ariata, 38, of Monkayo, Davao City last Jan. 8 at the NAIA Terminal 2, Pasay City.
Reports said Ariata arrived in Manila on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR307 from Hong Kong when he was arrested at around 10:30 p.m. Arrival Area of NAIA Terminal 2.
Cacdac said the illegal drugs hidden inside several boxes of powdered milk were discovered during physical examination by Duty Customs Examiner Kristian Cordis.
He added that the field test on the contents of the boxes confirmed positive results for presence of shabu.
The suspect is temporarily detained at the PDEA custodial facility in Quezon City. - Dennis Carcamo