Philippine police pledge to stop nation becoming drug transit hub after Laos seizure

Authorities in the Philippines responded to the arrest of a Filipino national in Laos, where customs officials seized 521 kilograms of suspected shabu at Luang Prabang International Airport. PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co pledged to boost intelligence monitoring and improve coordination with the country’s seaports and airports to prevent the Philippines from becoming a drug transshipment hub. The police are collaborating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and overseas law-enforcement bodies to verify the cargo’s source and intended destination.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said the agency is gathering intelligence to locate additional accomplices, including a second Filipino known only as “Boyet,” who is believed to have organized the private jet used for the shipment and is now bound for Hong Kong. Investigators are also probing possible links to the transnational syndicate Sam Gor, which is thought to use the Philippines as a distribution point. The coordinated effort underscores the government’s focus on curbing large-scale drug trafficking networks.