P35M “shabu” from Vietnam abandoned at NAIA; suspect nabbed in Tarlac

September 29, 2019

A man was arrested after abandoning around P35-million worth of alleged illegal drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) NAIA Supervisor Gerald Javier, a passenger named as Nazarene Obillo from Hanoi, Vietnam left Saturday his luggage containing suspected 5.16 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" at NAIA Terminal 1.

Authorities said the luggage had a "suspicious image" when it passed through the airport's x-ray examination. Upon investigation of the seized paraphernalia, Bureau of Customs Examiner Krysllin Evangelista discovered inside a P35,008,000 worth of suspected shabu.

Javier said Obillo was nabbed in Tarlac by personnel of PDEA Region III around 2:35 PM.

The suspected illegal drugs were transported to the country from Hanoi via Philippine Airlines flight PR596.

"Pieces of evidence obtained will be submitted to PDEA Laboratory Service for qualitative and quantitative examination," said Javier. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS