Authorities arrested a 30-year-old overseas Filipino worker at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Thursday night after discovering approximately P43.4 million worth of suspected cocaine in her luggage.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) identified the suspect, a domestic helper using the alias Vane, in a statement Friday. The suspect arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via a connecting flight from Doha, Qatar, at approximately 7:20 p.m.
During an inspection of the suspect’s black suitcase, investigators uncovered a hidden compartment containing roughly 8.19 kilograms of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.
In addition to the suspected drugs, authorities seized a Philippine passport, two boarding passes, and a backpack containing two cellular phones, a passbook, various foreign currencies, and several bank and identification cards.
The seized items were turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service for forensic examination and official disposition.
The operation was a coordinated effort by the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, which includes PDEA, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, and the National Bureau of Investigation, among other agencies.
The suspect faces charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.