The Philippine Consulate General Dubai & Northern Emirates warns all Filipinos to be alert when travelling and to be wary of prohibited substances disguised as chocolate candies.
The PCG in Hong Kong SAR reported two Filipinos coming from Dubai are detained for trafficking of prohibited substance. Our fellow Filipinos arrived on separate dates in February 2016 bringing boxes of chocolate candies given by a certain Nigerian national and a Filipino national to be brought into Hong Kong.
At Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), kilograms of suspected prohibited substances were confiscated by customs officers after they arrived, these were taken from their hand-carried boxes of chocolate candies.
Trafficking of Cocaine in Chocolate Candies
We Filipinos always bring souvenirs from the country we visit, it’s a common etiquette for us to bring something back to our family and friends. Food souvenirs, especially chocolates, is a very common choice.
The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai as well as Northern Emirates warns OFWs to be aware of this kind of modus, where the prohibited substance is disguised as chocolates and are brought through airfreights.
Travel Luggage Check
We advise you to do the following when travelling
- Make sure you know the ALL items in your luggage.
- DO NOT accept ‘packages’ from strangers even if they pay you.
- If you have friends who are asking you a favor to carry gifts to their loved ones back home, open the packages and inspect them yourself. Your friends should understand if you do this.
- As a reminder, whatever you carry with you in the plane is YOUR responsibility so you cannot pinpoint the blame to anybody else.
We are advising all our OFWs to be mindful of these ‘disguised’ prohibited substances provided by strangers or acquaintances. Remember that it is YOUR responsibility whatever you carry on board the plane.
Source: PCG Dubai
Other News Related to Chocolate Cocaine:
*Drug mule busted with 1.8kg of chocolate cocaine | Phuket Gazette – http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Drug-mule-busted-18kg-chocolate-cocaine/63782
* Cocaine in choc boxes ‘drug ring’ – http://in-cyprus.com/cocaine-choc-boxes-drug-ring/