The Ninoy Aquino International Airport Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIADITG) intercepted a female Canadian citizen attempting to smuggle illegal substances into the country on Thursday afternoon, June 29.
According to a report submitted to Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the suspect, Wendy Jane Marais, a 64-year-old Canadian national, was apprehended by the NAIADITG based on intelligence information regarding a drug smuggling attempt.
Marais arrived at the NAIA Terminal 1 aboard a Japan Airlines flight from Mexico. BOC officials conducted a thorough search of her luggage, revealing 7.15 kilograms of alleged methamphetamine hydrochloride concealed within individually-wrapped chocolate candies. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is P48,680,000.
Following the operation, Marais was promptly arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
“We received intelligence from international sources suggesting Marais’ involvement in smuggling illegal drugs from Mexico to Manila,” stated Tansingco. “As a result, our BI Anti-Terrorist Group (ATG) swiftly verified her arrival and accurately identified her to facilitate the subsequent search conducted by the BOC,” he added.
Tansingco emphasized the significance of inter-agency collaboration in this successful interdiction operation.
He said that through sharing information and analyzing data, law enforcement agencies can more effectively identify and disrupt criminal activities.
