2 drug ‘couriers,’ P149 million shabu, seized at NAIA

International drug rings continue to turn PH into drug haven

On Oct 31, 2022

Suspected drug courier Irene Caroline Botha, a native of South Africa, watches with her unnamed young daughter as a NAIA anti-drug operative inspects their luggage where some 13.565 kilos of shabu worth 92.24 million were found on their arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa last October 29, 2022. Botha’s arrest follows the arrest a day before of a Norwegian national who also tried to brought in more than 8 kilos of shabu thru the NAIA worth more than P56.7 million (photo credit: BOC-PIAD).

TWO foreign nationals arriving separately at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were arrested by alert Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives for trying to sneak in illegal drugs (shabu) with a combined worth of nearly P149 million.

First to be arrested on arrival at the NAIA 3 terminal last October 28, 2022, was ‘Rose Alex Moi,’ a Norwegian national who arrived via Johannesburg, South Africa, thru flight EK334 of the United Emirates airline.

Moi was found to be in possession of some 8.34 kilos of shabu worth some P56.7 million in her baggage.

The next day, October 29, 2022, South African national, ‘Irene Caroline Botha,’ who arrived with her daughter via the same United Emirates flight (EK334) from Johannesburg, was also arrested for possession of four plastic packs of shabu weighing 13.565 kilos and worth P92.24 million hidden in the false bottom of her luggage.

The twin arrests have brought the total haul to 21.905 kilos worth P148.9 million of illegal drugs in two days of vigilant monitoring by Customs anti-drug operatives.

BOC and PDEA operatives examine a shipment of nearly half a kilo of kush marijuana that arrived at the Port of Clark last September 26, 2022, via Quebec, Canada (photo: BOC-PIAD).

Both suspects are to be charged with drug trafficking, a non-bailable offense under Philippine laws.

The incidents also raised suspicion that the arrested drug couriers are members of an international drug syndicate targeting the Philippines as one of its “transit points” and market this side of the Pacific region.

In August this year, authorities also arrested a passenger from South Africa who attempted to bring in P144.3 million worth of shabu, the BOC noted in a statement.

This was followed by confiscation of illegal drugs on numerous occasions at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) and DHL warehouse in Pasay City.

Also in the same month, a shabu shipment declared as “food stuff” and valued at P58.31 million was intercepted by the authorities.

In June, an estimated P5.1 million worth of shabu declared as a set of toy drums was intercepted by government agents at the CMEC. The consignee, a resident of Cainta, Rizal, and his cohort from San Juan City were arrested.

In April, almost P4 million worth of shabu were also seized and two suspects were arrested during an entrapment operation by the BoC, PDEA and NAIA drug interdiction unit.

In December 2021, authorities seized a total of 2,437 tablets of Ecstasy party drug from the Netherlands and Germany at the CMEC and a DHL warehouse.

In a belated report to BOC commissioner, Yogi Filemon Ruiz, the Port of Clark said that a shipment of cannabis (kush marijuana) declared as ‘prescription medicines’ weighing some 448 grams and worth P672,000 were also seized at the port last October 11, 2022.

District collector Alexandra Lumontad said the shipment arrived from Quebec, Canada last September 26, 2022 inside 21 canisters.

Lumontad added the Port of Clark has thus far seized illegal drugs coming from abroad worth P124 million since the start of the year.