In a startling turn of events, two Singaporean women found themselves in the hot seat in the Philippines, facing allegations of smuggling a staggering 76.1 million pesos (equivalent to S$1.83 million) worth of cocaine.
The story unfolds with a mother-daughter duo, Siti Aishah Binte Wang, 63, a restaurant waitress, and Nur Alaviyah Binti Hanaffe, 39, a makeup artist, at the center of this international drug bust, according to The Manila Times.
The Arrival
The ordeal began when the two Singaporean women arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines via a Qatar Airlines flight from Doha on Sept 28. As they disembarked from the plane, little did they know that their lives were about to take an unexpected and dramatic turn.
Profiling and Suspicion
The local authorities immediately profiled Siti Aishah and Nur Alaviyah upon their arrival by the Bureau of Customs in Philippines, where they were found possessing 14.36 kilograms of a mysterious “white powdered substance” that was suspected to be cocaine.
Cocaine in Disguise
Airport authorities and the inter-agency drug interdiction group revealed that the cocaine was hidden within various types of containers meticulously packed under the women’s luggage.
The drugs were concealed in 341 pellets, which were strategically placed within the packaging of cookies and chips, masquerading as innocent gifts.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency swiftly intervened, seizing the illicit drugs and detaining Siti Aishah and Nur Alaviyah for further investigation.
Both Siti Aishah and her daughter, Nur Alaviyah, maintained their innocence. When questioned about their involvement, Siti Aishah firmly stated that she doesn’t know anything.
Her daughter then added that her mother “already said that she knows nothing” and what the containers contained.
Unfortunately, the legal consequences for the duo appear severe. They are slated to be charged with violations of Republic Act (RA) 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Drug Act of 2002, and RA 10863, the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, as confirmed by the Philippine News Agency.