No PHL links found in Laos drug bust

PHILIPPINE authorities have yet to establish whether a shipment of 521 kilograms of methamphetamine seized in Laos was indeed intended for the Philippines, with government agencies investigating possible links to local drug trafficking networks. The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Thursday that it had found no verified Philippine consignee, importer or entity linked to customs records for the shipment, which was seized at an airport in Laos, on Oct. 1. “The alleged Philippine destination remains under validation pending receipt of documentary evidence from foreign counterparts,” BoC Deputy Commissioner Emmanuel Luis D. Licup told a House committee on Thursday. The aircraft involved had sought clearance for a flight from Luang Prabang to Manila and Malaysia, but the flight was never activated, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said. It also found no record of the aircraft entering Philippine airspace. The BoC said it had requested flight plans, aviation documents and investigative records from Lao authorities but had yet to receive the information. Ross Jonathan V. Galicia, chief of dangerous drugs division at the National Bureau of Investigation, said the volume of drugs seized suggested the possible involvement of a local criminal group and a distribution network in the Philippines. “The only question, is whether we stop it at the point of entry or are we going to stop it when it’s flooding our streets,” he said. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) also reported that a separate vessel previously intercepted in Philippine waters was later seized by Thai authorities with about 1,178 kilograms of methamphetamine on board. PDEA said it found no illegal drugs aboard when it intercepted the vessel in the West Philippine Sea on Aug. 26, referring to parts of the South China Sea that falls within the country’s exclusive economic zone. Thai authorities later arrested six of the seven crew members on Oct. 7 after seizing the vessel and its cargo, according to information received by PDEA from its foreign counterpart. However, PDEA said there was no evidence that the vessel or its cargo was bound for the Philippines. “In relation to our coordination with our foreign counterparts, it is not good or it is not safe to say that the destination of this vessel is the Philippines. There is no evidence to show that this vessel will come to the Philippines,” PDEA chief Isagani R. Nerez told lawmakers, adding that authorities would intercept it if it entered Philippine waters. The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency warned that the country’s extensive coastline and maritime routes posed challenges to efforts to prevent transnational drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Council said it had begun coordinating with concerned agencies to investigate possible money laundering linked to the case. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking