
JOINT operatives on Tuesday night arrested a Surinamese national for trying to smuggle at least 3,468 grams of cocaine worth around P18.4 million at Clark Airport.
Arrested was Reynaldo Wilfred Oliviera, 48.
The suspect attempted to smuggle into the country some P18,380,40 worth of cocaine. He is a citizen of Suriname, a small country on the northeastern coast of South America.
According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency- Region 3, Olivieira arrived at the Clark Airport on United Arab Emirates Flight around 6:31 p.m. on Tuesday.
He was arrested after authorities found the illegal drugs inside his jackets placed in his luggage.
The illegal drugs were concealed in 30 vacuum-sealed transparent packages wrapped in mesh cloth and blue carbon paper.
Joint operatives led by PDEA-Clark Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Unit, along with PDEA-Region 3, PDEA-Region 7, PDEA International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Service (ICFAS), Bureau of Customs Port of Clark, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation- Pampanga District Office, and the PNP Aviation Security Unit 3 conducted the interdiction operation.
Olivieira is facing non-bailable charges for smuggling of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002