The Bureau of Customs on Monday launched an anti-narcotics coordinating center near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to further strengthen its campaign against the smuggling of illegal drugs at the premier airport.
The coordination center, according to Customs-NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan, was made in partnership with People’s Air Cargo and Warehousing Inc. and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
She said the establishment of this facility “is imperative to strengthen border security on any importation of illegal drugs.”
“This was also strategically placed for importations from Paircargo accounts to the majority of importations coming through NAIA and accessible to the concerns of other six warehouses under the Port of NAIA,” said Talusan.
She also says their campaign is in full support of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero’s border control initiatives.
Paircargo president Joseph Madrigal said they provided the facility also to support the initiatives of Customs NAIA and the government in protecting the country from any attempts to smuggle illegal drugs.
PDEA Assistant Regional Director Irvin John Coderis says the center exemplifies the strengthened coordination of the Bureau of Customs and PDEA with the support of stakeholders in its fight against illegal drugs in NAIA.
“This office will be very useful as our operatives can make timely responses on anti-illegal drug related activities which include K9 inspection, package profiling, backtracking investigation and apprehension of smuggled illegal drugs”, he said.
In 2020, the Port of NAIA seized 44 shipments of shabu, ecstasy, marijuana, and other prohibited substances worth P2 billion.
Port officials say they will continue their vigilance against different kinds of modes of concealment of illegal drugs thru enhanced and improved profiling techniques in close coordination with PDEA and NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.