South African caught with P144 million shabu at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A South African man was arrested on Friday upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) with over 21 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu valued at P144.3 million in his luggage, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported yesterday.

Mark Weinand, 60, traveled from South Africa and passed through Doha, Qatar before landing at NAIA-3, the BOC said.

Personnel from the BOC, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (IADITG) closely monitored Weinand’s arrival after receiving reports on the drugs he was carrying.

Weinand’s luggage was subjected to K9 sweeping and X-ray inspection.

The South African, who is in PDEA custody for further investigation, is facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Drug Act of 2002 and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

P58.31-M drugs seized in Malate

In Manila, operatives of the NAIA-IADITG confiscated 8.57 kilos of shabu with a street value of P58.31 million during a controlled delivery of a parcel in Malate on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, director of the police Drug Enforcement Group, said the parcel containing the shabu was delivered to a recipient at the Bureau of Plant Industry along San Andres street at around 10:30 a.m.

The parcel, shipped by a certain Anvin Medina of Makati City, was declared as “foodstuff.” Police did not disclose the recipient’s name.

Meanwhile, police seized an estimated 200 grams of shabu valued at P1.36 million from six suspects during a sting in a hotel along España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila on Friday.

Domingo named the suspects as Suraida Ameril, Jelani Pakan, Toni Taup, Camerin Aramada, Zuarto Sandigan and Tebs Paglas, who all hail from Talitay, Maguindanao.

Cell phones and identification cards were also seized from the suspects, who are being held on charges of drug trafficking. – Robertzon Ramirez, Emmanuel Tupas