PRESENTATION OUTLINE
BOC on lookout for drugs in toys
Bureau of Customs (BOC) examiners at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals have started checking stuffed toys brought by passengers after 200 methamphetamine tablets were found in a teddy bear last Wednesday.
NAIA customs district collector Edgar Macabeo said examiners must first inform the passengers about the search in a polite manner so as not to embarrass them.
He said the tablets were found hidden in the teddy bear’s hands, legs and head when the toy passed through the x-ray machine manned by BOC personnel at a courier firm’s warehouse.
The toy was sent by a certain Jason Thomas from Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro to a “Miss H. Thompson” in South Africa, officials said, adding that they believe the sender’s name is fictitious.
Macabeo said this is the first time they found illegal drugs hidden in a stuffed toy.
I feel shocked that people nowadays try to hide drugs inside things like teddy bears, especially those who try to give it to little children. They should feel ashamed about what they are doing because methamphetamine can be very dangerous. I think that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is doing a good job in detecting these drugs, especially since they were hidden inside toys. They should continue to observe their passengers in case they try other dangerous objects, and we should also be aware of these things, and of course, not do the same thing in the future.
