Authorities apprehended a Salvadoran national on Monday, May 22, at the Ninoy Aquino International Aiport (NAIA) - Terminal 3 after finding more than 3,000 kilograms of cocaine inside his luggage.
The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said that the suspect, a Salvadoran national arrived in the Philippines from Doha, Qatar, via Qatar Airways flight QR 932, from Brazil.
The traveler faces charges for Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Drug Act, and Republic Act 10863, also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Authorities estimate the seized cocaine to have a street value of more than Php 16 million.
The Arrival Operations Division of BoC NAIA, operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives, and the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force conducted a joint operation after their foreign counterparts alerted them of the arrival of the Salvadoran national.
Philippine authorities discovered the cocaine after the luggage of the Salvadoran national underwent rigorous screening, including x-ray scanning, K9 inspection, and a thorough physical examination.
