Nagsama ang Bureau of Customs Subport of Mactan at Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region VII noong nakaraang Linggo para magsagawa ng drug interdiction simulation ­exercise sa Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2.

Sa simulation exercise, bagahe na may laman na samples ng Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, Cannabis Sativa, Party Drugs, at Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL) ang isinailalim sa x-ray scanning at kinilala ng machine gamit ang color-coding technology.

Ang protocol sa ilalim ng chain of custody rule na kung saan kasama ang physical inventory, ­pagmarka at pagkuha ng litrato sa harapan ng mga testigo, at official turn-over ng kumpiskadong drugs sa PDEA ang dapat sanayin.

“This exercise is part of our partnership with PDEA Region 7 to further increase our personnel’s competency to not only detect and apprehend drugs, but to practice proper handling to maintain the integrity of evidence every step of the way until turn over to PDEA” ani Subport of Mactan Collector Gerardo A. Campo.

Nakiisa sa nasabing simulation exercise sina SP/LT. Enrico N. Mongaya, Mactan Sector Commander ng Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Atty. Ricardo Morales, Deputy Port Collector for Operations, Captain Joshua Managula, X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP), Ferdinand Laraga, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), at iba pang officers ng nabanggit na units sa Subport of Mactan.

Kasama rin sa mga nakiisa ay ang PDEA VII na ang kinatawan ay si IO III Ivy Claire Oledan, Chief ng Airport Interdiction Unit, at IO II Joemar Polinar, Supervisor ng K9 Unit.
Matatandaan noong nakaraang Linggo, si Port of Cebu District Collector Atty. Charlito Martin R. Mendoza ay nakipagkita rin kay PDEA Region VII Director Levi S. Ortiz para isapinal ang inter-agency cooperation para sa round-the-clock deployment ng PDEA’s drug-sniffing dogs sa Port of Cebu.(Joel O. Amongo)