AN arriving passenger found carrying illegal drugs hidden in wooden books was arrested at the NAIA Terminal 3 on February 15, 2026 by the Bureau of Customs – Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC-NAIA), in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG).
BOC-NAIA District Collector Atty. Maria Yasmin O. Mapa said that upon arrival, the said arriving passenger’s carry-on baggage was subjected to X-ray screening and referred for 100% physical inspection.
A K9 sweep yielded a positive indication for illegal drugs, and further examination confirmed that the white crystalline substance concealed inside improvised wooden books, wrapped in plastic and carbon paper, tested positive for methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu. The seized substance weighed approximately 6,000 grams, with an estimated standard value of ₱40,800,000.
BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno emphasized the agency’s intensified border control efforts, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen enforcement and safeguard communities from illegal drugs.
“This interception underscores our strict profiling and risk assessment measures at the border. We will continue to tighten our controls to ensure that illegal drugs are stopped before they can enter the country,” Nepomuceno said.
Atty. Mapa, for her part, said the BOC-NAIA continues to strengthen its inspection and enforcement measures in close coordination with partner agencies, to ensure that airport facilities are not exploited for the smuggling of illegal drugs and other prohibited items.
Meanwhile, Mapa said the seized items and the passenger were immediately secured and turned over to PDEA for proper custody and further investigation.
The case constitutes violations of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as amended) and Republic Act No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).
