Narcotics dog leads to P43M cocaine bust at NAIA

A narcotics detection dog played a crucial role in the seizure of more than P43 million worth of cocaine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, with Philippine National Police Acting Chief Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. underscoring the human cost behind illegal drugs and the importance of stopping them at the country’s borders.

The interdiction involved about 8,194 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated value of P43.4 million, seized from a 30-year-old female overseas worker who arrived from Brazil. A narcotics detection dog gave a positive indication on the passenger’s luggage, prompting a thorough manual inspection that uncovered three improvised pouches concealed inside a false compartment of the bag.

“Every kilo of illegal drugs seized means lives protected and families spared from harm,” Nartatez said. “Patuloy naming paiigtingin ang pagbabantay upang masigurong ligtas ang sambayanan mula sa banta ng iligal na droga.”

Nartatez said the seizure was the result of close coordination among the PNP Aviation Security Group, the Bureau of Customs, the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“This interception shows how constant vigilance at our airports plays a critical role in stopping illegal drugs before they reach our communities,” he said. “Malinaw ang aming paninindigan—hindi kami papayag na gawing daanan ng iligal na droga ang ating mga paliparan.”

The contraband was discovered during routine arrival screening at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on 22 January 2026. A field examination using a Rigaku Raman Spectrometer later confirmed the substance to be cocaine.

Nartatez said the arrest was conducted with strict observance of legal procedures, including the reading of the suspect’s rights and full documentation through body-worn cameras, in line with Supreme Court rules.

The suspect and the seized cocaine are now under the custody of NAIA-IADITG for documentation and the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Nartatez said the “successful operation reflects the PNP’s Focused Agenda,” which aims to make police service more professional, accountable and responsive, particularly through enhanced management of police operations and stronger inter-agency coordination at key entry points.

As the PNP sustains intensified efforts against transnational drug trafficking and airport smuggling under the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Nartatez reiterated the police force’s commitment to its vision of a “Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong mabilis, tapat, at nararamdaman.”