By RONNIEL C. DE GUZMAN
Customs authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle into the country yesterday six kilos of "ecstasy" which were found concealed among boxes of dried tamarind candies and orchids.
District collector Ricardo Belmonte of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)-Bureau of Customs said the seized drugs can be sold for several millions of pesos in the local market. A pill costs
R1,500 in the local street market.
Belmonte said they arrested and legally charged a certain Joel Trinidad of Quezon City for trying to facilitate the release of the drugs. Ecstasy known as "Adam," "XTC," and "hug drug" is a pricey synthetic, psychoactive (mind-altering) drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties. It is often used by young adults and adolescents at clubs, raves (large, all-night dance parties), and rock concerts. "The amount of illegal drugs we have confiscated could make a gymnasium packed with substance abusers high on drugs for a week," said a Customs examiner.
Belmonte said the syndicate behind the smuggling attempt went to great lengths to try to spirit the banned drugs inside the country starting with how handily the drugs were hidden.
The ecstasy came on board Kuwait Airlines flight KU-411 from Bangkok, Thailand, but without its accompanying passenger/owner.
Although the boxes’ airline baggage claim tickets identified its owner as a certain Dang Trinidad of 85 H. Roxas St. Quezon City, Trinidad did not show up to claim her boxes at its assigned baggage carousel.
A certain Joel Trinidad, a non-airline passenger who managed to enter the terminal wearing an airport security stick-on pass claimed the boxes instead.
Trinidad hauled the boxes in a trolley and presented them to duty Customs examiners Melrose Ellego and Samuel Saed for their mandatory examination.
The two examiners who noticed that Trinidad was a non-passenger were prompted to ask him why he was the one presenting them the boxes instead of its owner.
Trinidad, who started acting edgy, admitted that the boxes were indeed unaccompanied by its owner. He explained that he was just prodded by a relative to claim the boxes at the airport for her instead.
Ellego and Saed found Trinidad’s story odd and prompted them to request Trinidad to allow them to inspect the boxes thoroughly. Belmonte said follow-up investigations are being made to identify other persons who could have helped bring the illegal drugs into the country.
He said they will request for a copy of the airline flight manifest to find out if Dang Trinidad, the alleged owner of the boxes, was on board the flight. They will also question airline authorities regarding how the boxes were allowed to be checked-in without the presence of its passenger.
They will also request Manila International Airport Authorities who requested the security access passes used by Joel Trinidad to allow him to gain entry inside the terminal.
