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Sunday, 19 February 2012

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Filipina and cocaine contraband:

For re-export or local consumption?

The pretty Filipino woman with beady eyes attired in a pair of casual long trousers and a short blouse had a school bag sort of thing slung on her back, in addition to the bag that she was carrying when she flew into the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Thursday morning around 8.00.am. The sky was bright and clear that morning when the plane carrying her from Brazil via Qatar touched down at the BIA around 8.00.a.m.

Soon after her passport was franked at the Immigration and Emigration counter the cute looking Filipina with an aura of confidence walked straight to the Green channel as if she had nothing to declare. While she was about to cross the Channel, hawked eyed officers of the Customs Investigating Unit stopped her. They had kept a close watch on the single woman, who carried herself so confidently, the way she wriggled up to the Green Channel amazed them a bit. However Customs officers with the vast experience behind them felt something odd about her demeanour. There detected a sense of uneasiness and anxiety when they peered into her eyes. She seemed to be in a mighty hurry and was not able to hide her composure, the officers thought.

Examine

At this point of time, Customs officers from the Special Vigilance and Investigation Unit decided to examine the woman and her baggage closely. And, she who did not resist their attempt at all. In fact she extended her corporation to the officers when they began rummaging the big bag that belonged to her. They checked each item thoroughly, but did not find anything incriminating. But when they searched the bag a like a back pack, they discovered a false compartment in it. When they dug further they found a thin parcel neatly wrapped in polythene with a gum paste to conceal its identity. When officers pulled out the thin parcel from the bag they found coffee powder sprinkled over it, a ruse practised by drug couriers to keep the sniffer dogs at bay.

Sniff

The dogs are trained to sniff substances such as marijuana, cocaine, hashish and heroin in baggages while in transit. Usually they do not get attracted to other substances unless they are led by handlers to sniff baggages. Finally when they ripped open the parcel they found several kilos of cocaine. According to Customs officials the haul is estimated to be worth around Rs. 45 million. “This was one of the biggest haul of cocaine detected so far. Drug addicts in Sri Lanka usually consume heroin, marijuana and other substances but not cocaine to a large degree due to the non availability of the substance.” he said.

Following the detection of heroin, Customs officials checked her passport and found that she was a Filipino national who had boarded at Sao Paulo city in Brazil.

When questioned the woman told them that she was to stay in Sri Lanka for a couple of days and then fly to Bangkok. An air ticket to Bangkok was also found in her possession.

“We suspect the bulk of the cocaine that she was carrying would end up in Bangkok .” an official said.

Incidentally on February 8 the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officials nabbed a Thai woman passenger at the Bandaranike International Airport (BIA) carrying herself a parcel containing 1.2 kilos of cocaine worth millions of rupees.

“We have reasons to suspect the Filipino woman would have accompanied the Thai woman to Sri Lanka on that flight.” an official said.

The Filipino woman along with the consignment of cocaine was later handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.

Produced

She was later produced before the Negombo Magistrate who issued and a Detention Order to investigate her further.

On the instructions of Director General of Customs, Dr. Neville Gunawardena, Director Customs of Special Vigilance Unit K. Ranjan, Deputy Superintendents of Customs, Vipula Fernando, Sarath Fernando Santha Priya and Superintendent of Customs, E.M.A Dissanayake took part in the detection.

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