A foreign national was arrested in a joint interdiction operation at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Thursday evening, February 19, authorities said.

The operation, conducted at around 7:15 p.m. at the Customs Exclusion Room of the Customs International Arrival Area, led to the arrest of a 63-year-old Australian national identified by the alias “Leon.” He was intercepted upon arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa, with a connecting flight via Hong Kong, prior to his entry into the country.

The operation was spearheaded by the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), composed of representatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, Airport Police Department, PNP Drug Enforcement Group, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Immigration.

Authorities seized approximately 4,008 grams of suspected Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, with an estimated standard drug price value of ₱27,254,400.

Recovered from the suspect was a black “Samsonite” backpack containing two improvised wooden boxes covered with colored paper. Inside the boxes were two transparent plastic bags wrapped in carbon paper containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.

Also confiscated were personal belongings including a notebook, set of keys, calculator, charger, assorted coins, clothing, luggage, travel documents, identification cards, bank cards, assorted foreign currencies, and a mobile phone.

The suspect will face charges for violation of Section 4, Article II of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The seized drug evidence will be submitted to the appropriate forensic laboratory for qualitative and quantitative examination.