Philippines – Three young Filipino men are now in custody after airport authorities intercepted roughly 18,679 grams of suspected Marijuana Kush at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on September 24, 2026. The haul, packed inside their checked luggage, carries an estimated street value of ₱18,679,000.
According to a statement from the PNP Aviation Security Group (PNP AVSEGROUP), the arrests happened during a joint anti-illegal drug operation at the Customs Secondary Inspection Area of the International Arrival section. The three suspects, all male Filipino nationals in their early 20s, had just landed on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand.
How the Operation Unfolded
The bust started with a sharp eye at the X-ray conveyor. A Bureau of Customs X-ray Inspector flagged suspicious images inside the passengers’ bags as they moved through screening. That single alert set off a coordinated response.
Officers from the NAIA-Interagency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG), airport authorities, and PNP AVSEGROUP were quickly looped in. Then came the PDEA K9 Team and their narcotics detection dog, “Turbo,” who confirmed the officers’ suspicions by scratching at the luggage — a clear sign of illegal drugs inside.
What Authorities Found
A manual inspection followed, and the numbers tell the story:
- 61 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bags of suspected Marijuana Kush
- 6 pieces of luggage carrying the contraband
- 2 bags per suspect, tying each man directly to the seized drugs
Each passenger was traveling with two suitcases, and each suitcase held part of the stash.
Arrests and Chain of Custody
Personnel from PDEG and NAIA-IADITG placed the three men under arrest and informed them of their constitutional rights. An Alternative Recording Device was used throughout the arrest to document the process.
To keep everything above board, media and barangay representatives witnessed the inventory of the confiscated evidence. The suspects and the seized drugs remain under NAIA-IADITG custody while paperwork and disposition are completed. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will take cognizance of the case.
A Message to Travelers
For Filipinos flying in and out of the country, the case is a stark reminder of the tight watch at the airport.
“We will continue to intensify our vigilance and enforcement efforts to prevent illegal drugs and other security threats from entering our airports, ensuring the safety and security of every passenger and stakeholder,” said PBGEN Dionisio B. Bartolome, Jr., Director of PNP AVSEGROUP.
The three suspects now face charges under the country’s anti-drug laws.