ISANG high value target na South African national ang nadakip ng mga tauhan ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency kasunod ng isinagawang joint airport interdiction operation ng mga operatiba ng (PDEA) Regional Office 7, Bureau of Customs, at iba pang law enforcement agencies sa Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Terminal 2, noong Setyembre 18, 2025.

Tinatayang may street value na aabot sa P27.2 milyon ang halaga ng shabu na bitbit ng inarestong foreign high-value target (HVT) na kinilalang si Keith Charles Moore Koeremoer, 33, South African national, isang I.T. technician.

Nasa Mactan Airport din si BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno nang isinagawa ang anti-illegal drug interdiction operation at personal na sinuri ang nasabat na droga.

Nasa apat na kilo ng shabu na itinago sa wooden boxes na mistulang hardbound books, ang nasabat ng PDEA at BOC sa pangunguna ng PDEA Regional Office 7-Regional Special Enforcement Team (Lapu-Lapu City Office) na nasa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Director III Joel Plaza, katuwang ang PNP Aviation Security Unit (AVSEU), Police Station 5-LCPO, NBI-7, at LCPO CIU/CDEU.

Sakay ang suspek ng isang passenger plane mula South Africa via Hong Kong at sa isinagawang screening sa International Arrival Area, Terminal 2 MCIA, ay minarkahan ang dala nitong bagahe.

Sumailalim ang baggage sa profiling at non-intrusive examination ng Customs personnel, na nagresulta sa suspicious x-ray images. Kaya ipinasa na ito sa PDEA na nagsagawa ng dagdag na beripikasyon at K-9 sweep na siyang nagsabing may presensiya ito ng illegal drugs.

“Field tests conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Laboratory confirmed the substance to be Methamphetamine Hydrochloride,” ani Director Plaza.

“We will continue to strengthen our detection and enforcement measures to ensure that our ports do not become entry points for these dangerous substances, underscoring the BOC’s resolve to safeguard the country’s borders. He also acknowledged the strong efforts of the Port of Cebu, its Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Enforcement and Security Service, and X-ray Inspection Project, whose coordinated actions led to the successful operation,” pahayag naman ni BOC Comm. Nepomuceno.

Ang nadakip na banyaga ay nahaharap sa kasong paglabag sa Section 4, Article II ng Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) Importation of Dangerous Drugs at posibleng mapatawan ng kaparusahang life imprisonment at multa na aabot sa P500,000.00 hanggang P10,000,000.00.

(JESSE RUIZ)