PNP verifies reports of drug shipments allegedly bound for Philippines
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into reports of major drug seizures in Thailand and Laos involving shipments allegedly intended for the Philippines.
PNP Public Information Office chief Police Col. Allen Rae Co said the police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), local police units, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were coordinating with foreign counterparts to establish the details of the separate incidents.
Co cautioned against immediately linking the Philippines to the seized drugs solely because foreign authorities claimed the shipments were bound for the country.
He said the alleged Philippine destination remained unconfirmed.
“These are all unconfirmed. Nahuli sa kanila, it's so very easy to point fingers kung saan papunta. But we will have to look kung ano talaga ‘yung nakasulat sa manifest, nakasulat sa destination,” he said.
Co noted that there was no evidence yet confirming that Manila was the intended destination.
Initial information indicated that a Malaysian-owned private jet had landed in Laos, where the drugs were allegedly loaded for transport to the Philippines.
However, Co said authorities had yet to receive documents or other evidence establishing that the shipment was indeed headed for Manila.
“Initial information na na-receive rin natin ay Malaysian-owned plane, private jet and sa Laos lumapag, and then doon daw kinarga at papunta raw dito sa atin,” Co said.
“That is their claim, claim pa nila ‘yan. Wala pang hard evidence na binibigay sa atin,” he added.
Co said investigators would examine flight plans, cargo manifests, and other relevant records to verify the alleged route and destination.
He added that the PNP was coordinating with foreign counterparts to establish the actual destination of the seized drugs and determine whether any Filipinos were involved.
“It's too early to conclude. It's premature pa na sabihin natin,” Co said, stressing that the allegations had yet to be supported by evidence.
In a separate incident, Laotian police reportedly intercepted a suspected transnational drug-trafficking operation on Thursday after a private jet arrived from Subang Airport in Malaysia.
The aircraft reportedly arrived without cargo and was scheduled to continue to the Philippines.
It landed at Luang Prabang International Airport at around 11:30 a.m. At approximately 1:30 p.m., two vehicles arrived carrying 23 bags, which were transferred onto the aircraft with the assistance of airport staff, according to police.
Following the discovery, Laotian authorities detained 13 people for further investigation. They included the three individuals who had arrived on the aircraft and 10 Lao nationals — three ground services company employees and seven airport personnel who operated the X-ray screening machine.
Police said the drugs were believed to have been destined for Manila rather than Malaysia.
The investigation into the suspected international drug-trafficking operation remains ongoing.