The Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BoC-NAIA) has deployed money-sniffing dogs at Terminals 1 and 3 to deter travelers from smuggling large amounts of Philippine pesos and foreign currency out of the country.
This comes amid a rise in attempts to smuggle undeclared cash. The BoC-NAIA and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recently agreed to strengthen efforts to combat money laundering.
The PCG-trained K-9 units will be deployed throughout the terminals to sniff out undeclared currency while the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) will also enhance screening procedures, including using body scanners and X-ray machines for carry-on luggage.
On Sunday, the BoC-NAIA deployed PCG K-9 units to scan luggage and hand-carried bags.
In a recent incident, OTS officers intercepted a Chinese passenger at the final security checkpoint carrying more than $10,000, exceeding the amount permitted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The excess amount was seized.
To avoid inconvenience and confiscation, the BoC-NAIA encourages all passengers to accurately declare significant amounts of cash and other taxable items on the eTravel Customs Declaration form.