P120M worth of illegal drugs intercepted at Mactan-Cebu International Airport

South African ‘tourist’ nabbed

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan checks on the illegal drugs intercepted at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Wednesday evening, February 1, 2023. | screengrab fron Chan’s FB

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—A South African national was intercepted at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) for trying to smuggle in illegal drugs on Wednesday evening, February 1, 2023.

The South African was identified as Pietro Aliqou, 58 years old, who was said to be in Cebu for a vacation.

Aliqou tried to sneak around 17 kilos of illegal drugs worth P120 million.

Officers from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) intercepted two suitcases from the South African, who arrived at the airport through an international flight from Doha, Qatar.

From South Africa, Aliqou traveled via connecting flight to Doha, Qatar, before arriving at the MCIA.

Each pack of illegal drugs was tested by PDEA personnel and was found to be positive for containing methamphetamine, commonly known as “shabu.”

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, who arrived at the airport last night, commended the inter-agency for intercepting the illegal drugs from the foreigner.

“So diri na intercept diri sa atoang airport. Didto sa South Africa, wala ma-detect sa ilang x-ray. Nisud sa Doha, Qatar, wala gihapon. Diri na sa atoang airpot sa Mactan-Cebu International Airport [na intercept],” Chan said.

(So it was intercepted here in our airport. In South Africa, it wasn’t detected in their x-ray. It entered Doha, Qatar, and it still didn’t get detected. It got intercepted here in our airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.) 

Booked in Lapu-Lapu hotel 

After his talk with the South African, Chan found out that someone asked the foreigner to bring the luggage bag to the Philippines.

The mayor said Aliqou had already booked a room in one of the hotels in Lapu-Lapu City. Someone was expected  to pick up the luggage there.

Chan wants the inter-agency body to identify the person who was going to receive the luggage.

“Mao nang angayan susihon sa PDEA. Follow-up sa atong kapulisan kung kinsa to’ng tawo nga mo-pick up sa usa sa atong mga hotel diri sa atoa,” he said.

(That’s what should be checked by PDEA. Police have to make a follow-up and find out who was going to pick up the luggage from one of the hotels here in our city.) 

Chan added that this is not the first time that a foreigner was intercepted at the airport for trying to sneak illegal drugs.

In 2011, a Kenyan National was also intercepted at the airport for trying to smuggle around two kilos of cocaine.

/bmjo

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South African nabbed for trying to smuggle illegal drugs worth P70 million at MCIA