Customs installs more x-rays in airports

Seven new hand-carry x-ray machines are now installed in the three terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in a bid to strengthen vigilance in airports to prevent the entry of smuggled and contraband goods.

Two brand new Rapiscan x-rays have been placed at NAIA Terminal 3 while two units at the Terminal 2, and another three units at Terminal 1 are being set up, Commissioner Isidro Lapena said. The x-ray installation started on June 5.

“These new x-rays will help us detect taxable items inside the passenger luggage such as jewelry, luxury bags and watches, undeclared foreign currency, and more importantly smuggled illegal drugs and other prohibited items,” Lapena added.

With the new x-rays, passengers are required to submit their hand-carry bags to the BOC xray personnel to conduct a non-intrusive examination.

It can be recalled that on April 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte called on the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Immigration to stop the opening of baggage in airports after reports of baggage pilferage in airports.

“We will still observe the standing rule – no opening of bags in the airport. However, baggage marked by the x-ray machine which is suspected to contain contraband items and/or misdeclared items can be physically examined,” the Customs chief clarified.

The incidents of drug trafficking and jewelry smuggling in airports prompted the BOC to implement stricter border security and safety measures.

“If you don't have anything illegal under your sleeve, then there's no need to be alarmed by the x-ray inspection," Lapena said.

In October 2017, the BOC beefed up its antismuggling capacity by adding 19 new x-rays in the three terminals of NAIA.

Since March 2018, 12 apprehensions of illegal drugs importations were conducted in BOC-NAIA due to the strict profiling of customs examiners on suspicious shipments and subsequent confirmation of xray examination and K9 inspection.

Recently, the BOC has seized 11.5 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu at the Port of Clark estimated to be worth P74.8 million. The follow-up operation conducted together with the elements of Customs Anti-Drugs Interdiction Task Force and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency led to the apprehension of four suspects who received the parcel decoyed as chairs and griller.---BOC/PIAD