AIRPORT authorities seized approximately 94.5 kilograms of high-grade marijuana, known as “kush,” with an estimated street value of ₱141.8 million, following the discovery of eight unclaimed luggage items at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on September 1, 2026.
Acting on intelligence from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), joint operatives from the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) inspected the suspicious baggage, which was initially left behind at the baggage conveyor and later transferred to the interline baggage room.
Investigators linked the items to three arriving passengers from Bangkok, Thailand.
An x-ray re-screening by Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel revealed suspicious images inside the luggage, prompting a K-9 paneling operation where a narcotics detection dog gave a positive signal.
Subsequent manual inspection by BOC officers uncovered approximately 94,561 grams of dried kush leaves concealed within the eight bags, carrying an official standard drug price of ₱141,841,500.
The seized narcotics will be turned over to the PDEA National Office in Diliman, Quezon City, for proper documentation and disposition.
“We continue to intensify our vigilance at the airports to identify and stop attempts to bring illegal drugs into the country. Through the swift coordination of our partner agencies, we strengthen our capacity to protect the public against this threat,” said Police Brigadier General Dionisio B. Bartolome Jr., Director of the PNP Aviation Security Group (AVSEGROUP).
