Operatives of the Bureau of Customs found yesterday, May 17, that the “unusually heavy abandoned baggage (black trolly backpack)” which arrived on December 26 last year via ET644 from Addis Adaba, Ethiopia, contained Methamphetamine Hydrochloride (commonly known as “shabu”) at the NAIA Terminal 1.
The intercepted shabu weighed a total of 2.846 kg with an estimated street value of Php19,352,000.
It was learned that the baggage tag led to certain Sara Tabitya, a Ugandan national who arrived via flight PR737 on December 24. She was excluded by authorities upon her arrival.
“We at the Bureau of Customs X-ray Inspection Project have committed to vigilance and transparency in all our scanning, big or small items from both local and foreign guests so that we can be in line with the President’s marching orders of patrolling our borders with keen eyes”, Atty. Managing said.
Personnel of the NAIA Terminal 1 coordinated with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP), Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, to confirm suspicion on the abandoned baggage.
Mangaoang instructed the XIP Inspector-on-duty to subject the luggage to scanning. Upon X-ray scanning, it exhibited “suspicious images resembling possible concealment of illegal substance”. To crosscheck the findings, Mangaoang immediately instructed the Customs Examiner to conduct a 100% physical examination of the subject baggage.
The baggage was found to be containing white crystalline substances concealed inside the back lining of the luggage using cardboard, a thin PE foam sheet, and clear tape.
The thorough examination was witnessed by Atty. Mangaoang, XIP Head, ESS, CIIS and CAIDTF representatives.  Field Tests conducted by CAIDTF and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on the discovered white crystalline substances resulted in the positive presence of methamphetamine. The substance will be inventoried prior to official turnover to the PDEA.
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