South African woman caught with 2 kg of shabu charged

MANILA, Philippines—A South African woman, who was arrested last week by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, was charged in a Manila regional trial court with illegal transport of more than two kilograms of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

The NBI Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division filed the complaint against Caroline Mmantoa Obijiofor, 50, a resident of the Republic of South Africa, after 940 grams of yellowish crystalline substance and 1.295 kg of white crystalline substance found in her possession tested positive for the dangerous substance.

Agents of the NBI-RAID Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force acted on intelligence information that Obijiofor would be entering the country on April 10 to transport illegal drugs to another African national.

Upon confirming her arrival through a flight manifest, NBI agents followed Obijiofor from the airport to a hotel in Malate, Manila, where a room was reserved and paid for by another person.

As the events matched the received information, an NBI agent introduced himself to Obijiofor and asked if the brown traveling bag she was carrying was hers. She said the clothes were hers but the luggage was provided by a group of men in Abedian, Africa.

Obijiofor agreed to a search after canine dogs sniffed the bag and indicated the presence of illegal drugs.

Two rectangular boxes containing the crystalline substances wrapped in plastic and blue carbon paper were found in the bag.

Obijiofor was arrested and charged with violation of Section 5 Article 2 of Republic Act No. 9165, a nonbailable offense.