US donates narcotics detection devices

The US government donated narcotics detection devices to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) – Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIAIADITG) that will bolster the drug interdiction capabilities of the country’s premier airports. PDEA Deputy Director General for Operations Ricardo Quinto, Director Brandon Hudspeth of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US Embassy to the Philippines, and Mark Juvrud, US Drug Enforcement Administration Country Attaché, attended the turnover ceremony. The hand-held devices will be able to conduct on the scene drug test and detect up to a possible 370 illicit substances, even outside of the container. (Chito A. Chavez)