The United States Drug Enforcement Administration donated drug detection equipment to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Wednesday that will enhance the agency’s illegal drug investigation capabilities in local airports.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Donated in simple rites at the PDEA national headquarters in Quezon City were three Rigaku handheld drug analyzers, two N2200 handheld narcotics detectors, two Viken HBI-120 handheld X-ray imagers, one B & W TEK tactic ID-1064 handheld Raman spectrometer, and one Heuresis handheld X-ray unit.
These equipment were donated in collaboration with the United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau (INL).
Present during the turnover were Christopher J. Adduci, Country Attache, USDEA; Adam J. Nobbley, Assistant Country Attache, USDEA; Laurence Madariaga, Assistant Country Attache, USDEA; Mark Everson, Maritime Operations Coordinator, INL; Jonalyn Santos, Drug Demand Reduction Manager, INL; Brett Blackshaw, Political Counselor, US Department of State, PDEA Director-General Wilkins Villanueva, and other PDEA officials.
Villanueva said these drug detection equipment will be turned over to the PDEA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (PDEA-IADITG).
“The United States government, through the USDEA and INL, has been continuously supporting PDEA in its fight against illegal drugs. On Dec. 14, 2015, two vehicles and two motorcycles were donated to be used by PDEA-IADITG at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA); and on Aug. 29, 2017, handheld devices for on-the-scene field test and detection of illicit drugs were also donated,’’ PDEA said in a statement.
Villanueva thanked the USDEA for its continued support in the country’s all-out war against illegal drugs “particularly in training and capability building.’’
“These equipment will surely enhance the investigation capabilities of our airport interdiction task force.’’