AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) shortly before midnight Tuesday seized nearly P2.7 billion worth of high-grade shabu during two separate operations in the southern part of Metro Manila and arrested a suspected Chinese drug lord and two of his Filipino couriers.
PNP Officer-in-Charge Lieutenant General Archie Francisco F. Gamboa said undercover officers of the PNP-DEG headed by Colonel Romeo M. Caramat Jr. first arrested Chinese national Liu Chao after he sold a kilo of shabu to a poseur just outside his rented apartment in Banoyo Street in Barangay San Antonio, Makati City, at around 11:45 p.m.
More than 370 kilograms of shabu was found in the suspect’s apartment. Caramat said the drugs were in a cabinet and in the room of the suspect.
A follow-up operation in Las Piñas City resulted in the arrest of brothers Joel and Marvin Bustamante, both residents of Tenejeros, Malabon City who yielded 17 sealed plastic packets each containing a kilo of shabu.
“The plastic packets bore green tea bag markings very similar to huge amount of shabu previously confiscated by the PNP and the PDEA from notorious Chinese drug smugglers,” said Caramat.
The shabu recovered totalled 388 kilograms which would cost around P2.7 billion in the underground market at the price of P6.8 million a kilo.
According to Caramat, the Tuesday night’s operation came following a week-long surveillance conducted on the Chinese target.
The official said that they launched the operation amid observations that for the past several years, police including the PNP-DEG have been arresting drug couriers only and not the ‘big fishes.’
“We are going after the drug lords, the importers, smugglers and manufacturers of shabu in the country now, not only the Filipino couriers who in most cases are only being paid P15,000 to P20,000 for each drug delivery. Luckily, we hit this Chinese,” he said.
He said the suspect even offered a P100 million bribe to his arresting officers in exchange for his freedom and thus would be facing an additional case for attempted bribery and corruption of a public official.
More drug couriers, peddlers fall
More than P.5 million worth of shabu was seized by authorities from four suspected big-time drug pushers in separate buy-bust operations Tuesday evening and before dawn in Malabon and Navotas cities.
In a report to Northern Police District (NPD) Director Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Ylagan, Malabon police chief Col. Jessie Tamayao said Gabriel Angeles, 38, of Brgy. Daang Hari, Navotas City, and Christian Santos, 31, of Sto Niño, in Bgy. Hulong Duhat, Malabon, were arrested at around 3 a.m. yesterday on Gervacio Street after a week-long surveillance operation conducted by elements of Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) led by Capt. Johnny Baltan.
The suspects yielded nine pieces of plastic sachets of shabu weighing 25.339 grams with an estimated street value worth P172,244.
Earlier onTuesday, Navotas police chief Col. Rolando Balasabas said Arman Libao, 44, of No. 46 Miguel St., Bgy. NBBN, and Eduardo Cinco, 38, of Goldrock St., Bgy. San Roque, were arrested in a buy-bust, The two were known big-time drug pushers.
Police recovered from the arrested suspects the marked money and another five plastic sachets of shabu weighing 55 grams with total street value worth P374,000.
Meanwhile, Quezon City police confiscated cocaine and shabu worth P325,000 from six persons during separate buy-bust operations where three minors were also rescued.
QCPD director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo said the Novaliches Police Station (PS 4) under Lt. Col. Rossel Cejas arrested Angelito Del Rosario, 31, of Bgy. Lagro; Pie Karylle Roice Biaña, 19, of Bulacan, along with cohorts Ramon Christopher Paloma, 27, of Taguig City, and Aldrin Magdalena, 22, also from Bulacan. The suspects were arrested in Room S-203 of Central Apartelle located at No. 952 Quirino Highway, Novaliches.
PS4 cops also rescued three minors during the operation that took place at around 2 a.m.
Seized from the suspects were shabu worth P176,800, drug paraphernalia, three cellular phones and two motorcycles.
The suspects will be facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of dangerous drugs, both non-bailable offenses punishable by life imprisonment under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
With Edd Reyes and Joel dela Torre
