Guns concealed in water heaters seized in NAIA

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized two guns concealed in electric water heaters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (Photo by Lawrence Ruiz (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)],)

In a statement, the bureau said the X- Ray Inspection Project (XIP) under the Enforcement Group (EG) found a lower receiver 9mm pistol and a lower receiver .45 pistol with empty magazine inside two packages at the Thomas Nationwide Transportation Warehouse in Pasay City on May 10.

The guns were consigned to Christopher Yeung of Hong Kong, China and a certain Lau of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

The two pistols were uncovered after a certain Alfonso Martin V. Sanchez, 21, and a resident of Calookan City inquired about the status of two outbound parcels stored in the warehouse bound for Vietnam and Hong Kong.

He was arrested for failure to produce the required documents from the Philippine National Police.

Charges were filed against the suspect before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office for violation of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of 2016, and RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The seized items are now in the custody of the BOC–NAIA while the suspect was able to post bail.

The initial hearing is set for May 22 at the Pasay Regional Trial Court.

HEG Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno warned that the apprehension sends a strong signal to the public that the bureau strictly secures the country’s borders against illegal shipments.