THE officers of the Customs and Quarantine Division on Wednesday seized 72.8 grams of crystal methamphetamine at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
According to Customs Planner and Public Information Officer Capt. Reina Camacho, a routine customs and biosecurity clearance of arriving passengers led to the interception of the contraband at around 6:25 a.m.
In a statement, Customs said drug detector canines alerted Customs officers during the screening of United Airlines Flight 116 passengers.
A male passenger was examined for customs and biosecurity clearance. During inspection of the passenger’s belongings, the Customs officers observed two small clear plastic bags containing residue of a white crystalline substance inside a backpack.
A presumptive positive test was conducted on the residue yielding a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine.
Customs said additional baggage was inspected. Inside a duffel bag belonging to the male passenger, officers noticed a small white silica gel packet (used to absorb moisture and keep items dry) that appeared altered. The Customs officers then opened the packet and observed a white crystalline substance inside. A presumptive test was conducted yielding a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine.
The officers continued their investigation, and also discovered one clear medium-sized Ziploc bag and one clear small Ziploc bag containing a white crystalline substance on the passenger’s person.
“Customs biosecurity officers were able to seize approximately 72.8 gross grams of crystal methamphetamine from the male passenger, with the assistance of law enforcement partners from the CNMI Drug Enforcement Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration,” Customs said, adding that the matter is an ongoing investigation.
