Three Filipino passengers were arrested after authorities seized approximately 18,679 grams of suspected high-grade marijuana, or kush, worth P18,679,000 during an anti-illegal drug operation at the customs secondary inspection area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

The three male suspects, all in their early 20s, arrived from Bangkok, Thailand.

The operation began after a Bureau of Customs X-ray inspector detected suspicious images in their luggage. The NAIA-IADITG, airport authorities and PNP Aviation Security Group were alerted.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) K9 Team then screened the luggage using narcotics detection dog “Turbo,” which alerted by scratching the bags.

A manual inspection found 61 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bags containing suspected marijuana kush in six pieces of luggage, with two bags belonging to each suspect.

The suspects and seized items remained in NAIA-IADITG custody for documentation and disposition. The PDEA will handle the case.

In a separate incident, an arriving passenger was arrested at NAIA Terminal 3 on Friday pursuant to a court-issued bench warrant for alleged violations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, in relation to Republic Acts 9516 and 8294 and Presidential Decree 1866.

The passenger arrived from Davao and was apprehended through coordination between the Manila Police District and NAIA Police Station 3.

Joint personnel of NAIA Police Station 3 and MPD Police Station 7 served the warrant, which carried a recommended bail of P80,000.