Filipino authorities report Salvadorans tried to hide drugs in their luggage/photo credit: BOC-NAIA.
Airport authorities, led by the Philippine Customs Service (BOC), reported Monday that they had detained a Salvadoran man who was blocked from transporting cocaine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.
The Salvadoran man, who has not been identified, had about 3,120 grams of cocaine in his luggage, but placed an envelope full of drugs among the clothing and other belongings he carried with him during the trip. I tried to hide it.
Authorities reported an estimated value of $286,959 for the drugs seized, as confirmed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration (PDEA).
A Drug Enforcement Police investigation found that the Salvadoran had traveled from Doha, Qatar, but had previously traveled from Brazil.
Airport officials also said they had identified the offenders through security operations such as X-ray bag inspections, drug dog inspections and physical searches.
Philippine news agency ABS-CBN News tried to speak to the Salvadoran, but said he spoke neither English nor Filipino. The passenger gained notoriety after the man allegedly mixed nine envelopes containing cocaine with some of his clothing in his luggage.
During interrogation, the suspect identified himself as an electrical engineer from El Salvador and this was his first trip to the Philippines. The suspect has been charged with violating the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Source: Diario.Elmundo
