CABANATUAN CITY — Joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Ninoy Aquino Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Group (NAIA-IADITG) along with the Nueva Ecija police arrested two Chinese nationals and seized some 240 kilos of shabu with an estimated street value of over P1.6-billion during an anti-illegal drug operation conducted here on Friday night.
In his report to Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon, provincial police chief Col. Marvin Joe C. Saro said the two suspects were arrested during a “controlled delivery” type of operation conducted at the Jollibee-Diversion Road area in Bgy. Sumacab Sur at 11 p.m.
The two arrested Chinese nationals were identified as Jayson Tan and James Ong. They allegedly arrived from the airport and was followed by Customs authorities until their arrest was made here.
“Nasundan ng Customs sa airport, dito na sila na-interdict. Ililipat sana sa ibang sasakyan ang droga dito sa L300 van,” said Col. Saro, in a text message to the Journal Group yesterday.
He said the successful operation was conducted by the NAIA-IADITG composed of operatives from the PDEA RO-NCR RSET 1 & 2, PDEA RO III, Bureau of Customs, MIAA, AVSECOM, AFP CITF NOAH ISAFP, NICA, and the Cabanatuan and the PIB-NEPPO-PDEU.
Seized from the suspects’ possession and control were shabu weighing 240 kilos worth P1.632 billion.
The said latest drug haul was believed the biggest single drug bust ever conducted in Cabanatuan City by the authorities.
Also seized were the suspects’ four mobile phones, a gray Honda City sedan with conduction sticker EI-N497 and a white Mitsubishi L300 van (ABB-2535).
Saro said the arrested suspects are now under the custody of the PDEA and will be slapped with charges for violation of Section 4 of Republic Act 9165 (importation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals).
