Government agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport seized abandoned parcels containing over ₱16-million worth of ketamine and cannabis at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.
A composite team from the NAIA Interagency Drug Interdiction Task Group, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Philippine National Police – Aviation Security Group (PNP-Avsegroup) successfully foiled the drug smuggling attempt on Thursday.
The shipments, which originated from the United States, Poland, and Thailand, were flagged during routine X-ray screenings due to suspicious images. This prompted immediate K9 inspections and manual checks, leading to the discovery of illegal drugs hidden inside the parcels.
During the operation, 3,025 grams of suspected ketamine, concealed inside a coffee maker, with an estimated street value of ₱15,125,000, and 858 grams of suspected marijuana kush, concealed in multiple boxes and vacuum-sealed bags with a street value of ₱1,123,980, were seized.
Authorities described ketamine as a highly dangerous and addictive substance while kush is a hybrid cannabis.
All recovered items were properly marked, photographed, and inventoried in the presence of authorized witnesses and were immediately turned over to the PDEA national office for appropriate disposition.
“No agency works alone in the fight against illegal drugs. This operation demonstrates the power of unified action, where every unit plays its part and every coordination leads to real results. Expect more operations like this as we continue to strengthen our collective efforts to protect our gateways and our people,” said Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia, Director of PNP-Avsegroup.
Earlier this month, the same team arrested a 28-year-old woman after she claimed a parcel containing shabu worth over ₱6.8 million, also at the CMEC. This shipment, which originated from Ontario, Canada, had been fraudulently labeled as containing ladies’ wear and bags, indicating a clear case of technical smuggling.
