Nearly 10 Kilograms of Suspected Marijuana Seized at NAIA Terminal 3

Airport officials at NAIA Terminal 3 successfully intercepted an abandoned luggage containing approximately 9,940 grams of dried leaves suspected to be marijuana kush, with an estimated value of ₱14.9 million. The green bag was found unclaimed in the Arrival Area on the afternoon of November 28, 2025, after being left behind by a female foreign national arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, who had a connecting flight to Macau.

Bureau of Customs (BOC)-NAIA District Collector Yasmin Mapa reported that during routine screening, an x-ray operator detected suspicious contents inside the luggage. This timely discovery prevented the suspected illegal drugs from being smuggled out of the airport.

Following detection, the case was immediately handed over to the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) and the PDEA K9 Team. Using a narcotics detection dog, authorities confirmed the presence of illicit substances.

A thorough manual inspection by BOC personnel uncovered 18 vacuum-sealed packages containing the suspected marijuana. Investigators later confirmed that the passenger who owned the luggage had already left for Macau at 7:16 p.m., thus evading arrest.

The seized materials were documented, photographed, and inventoried by PDEA officers in the presence of a media representative and a barangay official. The contraband is now under the custody of NAIA-IADITG and will be transferred to the PDEA National Office for appropriate disposition.

Police Brigadier General Dionisio B. Bartolome, director of the Philippine National Police's Airport Security Group (AVSEGROUP), emphasized the importance of the operation, stating, "This operation highlights AVSEGROUP’s commitment to keeping our airports safe through vigilance, intelligence coordination, and rapid response, ensuring the interception of illegal drugs and protecting every traveler from criminal activities."