Syrian woman arrested at NAIA for carrying 2 marijuana sticks

MANILA, Philippines—A Syrian woman was arrested by airport authorities after she was allegedly caught with two sticks of marijuana Monday night.

According to the media affairs division of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the marijuana sticks were found in the possession of suspect Reem Suliman Altawijri, 37, during an inspection at the final x-ray at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

The foreigner, who arrived in the country last February 8 for a vacation, was nabbed around 10:30 p.m. as she was about to leave for Abu Dhabi via an Etihad Airways flight.

Airport authorities said the illegal drugs were found inside a cigarette pack, which the suspect kept inside her pocket.

The suspect apparently hid the contraband among other cigarette sticks, authorities said.

A drug-sniffing dog confirmed the finding of marijuana among her belongings, prompting authorities to prevent her from leaving.

The suspect was then turned over to agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for investigation.

Last Friday, a Kenyan woman was also caught trying to smuggle nearly 10 kilograms of shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, into the country from the United Arab Emirates on Friday.

Lina Aching Noah, 36, was arrested after customs inspectors found the illegal drugs, with a street value of about P45 million, in the lining of her luggage at the NAIA.

Noah, a suspected member of an African drug syndicate, arrived in the country on an Emirates flight from Dubai.

The PDEA said that prior to her arrest, it had received a tip from a foreign counterpart agency about Noah, prompting agents to coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Customs to intercept her.

Noah is being held at the PDEA-National Capital Region detention facility.