
62-year-old Canadian woman who tried to smuggle shabu undergoes inquest
PDEA said the woman, identified only as 'Grace', underwent inquest for violation of Section 5, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
According to the agency, Grace was arrested at NAIA Terminal 3 with 24 kilograms of suspected shabu on July 14, Monday.
Authorities found multiple foil-wrapped transparent plastic packages hidden in large garbage bags inside Grace's luggage.
The PDEA said that initial field testing confirmed the substance to be shabu. However, samples were turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service for confirmation.
Authorities also retrieved a Canadian passport, two airline boarding passes, a mobile phone, an identification card, and a baggage declaration form. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RF, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


GMA Network
2 hours ago
- GMA Network
P500K worth of missing jewelry in NAIA found
A female passenger who lost P500,000 worth of jewelry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 was able to recover the missing items. In a social media post, passenger Kimberly Nakamura said her jewelry box containing wedding rings, a diamond necklace, and earrings went missing at NAIA during her flight to Singapore on June 28. She reached out to Cebu Pacific, the Changi Airport in Singapore, and NAIA 3, but no items were found. After posting on Facebook, a Cebu Pacific agent informed Nakamura that the jewelry box was seen at Gate 104 at NAIA 3. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, Nakamura said more than 10 airport personnel were seen handling the jewelry box from June 28 to June 29. 'This marked the beginning of a series of mishandlings that led to the disappearance of both rings. From a simple lost and found case, it became theft,' Nakamura said. On July 8, Nakamura said her jewelry box, containing only the earrings and necklace, was recovered by the Airport Police Department. 'The staff member who surrendered the item later confessed to taking it home for personal use. She stated there were no rings inside when she found the jewelry box,' Nakamura recounted. Her husband's ring was returned on July 13 after she earlier warned the involved personnel that she will press charges for gross negligence and qualified theft. The following day, Nakamura said she received an anonymous text message saying her ring was hidden under a table at Gate 104. 'We recovered everything po. My diamond necklace and two platinum wedding rings with diamond stones. But my husband's ring was heavily scratched kasi nilagay lang daw sa bag. But anyway, we will rebuff it na lang po (because it was put in a bag, but we will rebuff it). Estimated value is P500,000,' Nakamura told GMA News Online. 'It was very distressing, but we're very happy and at peace now,' she added. Nakamura urged NAIA to take action as the person who stole her ring remains unidentified. 'This must not be tolerated. I urge you to take action so that no one else has to go through what I did. Your employees were involved in acts of dishonesty and negligence, and such behavior has no place in any responsible system,' Nakamura said. Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Eric Ines assured that the involved personnel will be held accountable. 'Even though the victim did not pursue legal action, we are coordinating with the concerned airlines and security agencies to ensure that those involved are held accountable. This behavior has no place in our airport,' Ines said in a statement. He urged the involved airlines and security agencies to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the missing jewelry. Meanwhile, the personnel involved in the recovery of the missing jewelry are expected to receive formal commendation during the next flag-raising ceremony, as recommended by the MIAA Praise Committee. — RF, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
7 hours ago
- GMA Network
Customs seizes P749M shabu concealed in balikbayan boxes
Operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized a shipment found to contain illegal drugs at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). On Thursday, July 17, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the inspection of the shipment, which was seized following an inspection which uncovered 110.24 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu concealed within four boxes, with an estimated value of P749.63 million. Samples from the shipment in question were submitted to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for confirmatory testing, which later confirmed that the recovered substances were indeed methamphetamine hydrochloride. The BOC said the seized shipment will be turned over to the PDEA for further investigation in relation to violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and R.A. No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. For his part, MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose Torralba cited cooperation among the agency's enforcement units, noting that the operation reflected the effectiveness of strengthened profiling measures and inter-agency coordination. Nepomuceno, likewise, said the Customs will remain unyielding in its campaign against drug smuggling. 'We will not allow criminal elements to exploit balikbayan privileges and tarnish the trust of our overseas Filipinos. This seizure underscores our commitment to protecting the country and its people,' said Nepomuceno. —VAL, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
57 Pangasinan fishermen commended for reporting P6.5B 'floating shabu'
A total of 57 fishermen from the towns of Bolinao, Agno, and Bani in Pangasinan were recognized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for surrendering blocks of suspected "floating shabu" found at sea earlier this June 2025. The drugs were discovered between June 5 and June 8, with a total of over 900 kilograms of shabu turned over to authorities. The illegal drugs were estimated to be worth more than P6.5 billion. PDEA praised the fishermen for their courage and honesty. They described their actions as a strong example in the agency's continuing campaign against illegal drugs. As a token of appreciation, the fishermen received grocery items and a cash incentive from the provincial government.