Authorities seize 14 kg of shabu from Malaysian at NAIA

Authorities seized 14 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) from a Malaysian at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) early Wednesday. Radio dzBB’s Denver Trinidad reported the Malaysian, initially identified as Cho Che Kyong, yielded seven packs of shabu inside two trolley bags. The suspect and his companion, a certain Richard Oh, arrived on a Philippine Airlines flight (PR-733) from Bangkok, Thailand. Oh managed to elude arrest, the report said. A separate report on dzRH radio said Customs officials found the drugs in the luggage during an inspection, and held Kyong for questioning after K-9 units confirmed the bags contained illegal drugs. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado cited initial reports indicating that Richard Oh fled when he saw airport authorities accosting Kyong. Honrado said they are now reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage at the airport to identify Kyong's Manila-based colleagues. “Siguro akala makalulusot sila, pero nasabat ng tauhan ng MIAA personnel.... Tayo [ay] nagpapasalamat, talaga naman very attentive ang nagtatrabaho sa Customs natin. Nang suriin ang kanilang luggage nakita ang shabu (They thought they can slip the drugs past us. But our Customs personnel are very attentive and they found the drugs in the luggage)," he said in an interview on dzRH radio. "Our theory for now is that there were two suspects. When one of them was arrested, his companion fled," he added. The next step now is to identify and go after the Malaysians’ Manila-based colleagues, Honrado said. “Masyadong malaki ang consignment na ito. Posibleng may kasabwat siya at sasalubong sa kanya (The drug shipment was too big. It is likely the suspects had someone waiting for them in Manila)," he said. He also said the seizure was a result of closer coordination among law enforcement agencies at the NAIA. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV