By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Anti-drug operatives on Friday arrested a “high-value” suspect at the Calapan City port in Oriental Mindoro and seized from him about 120 kg. of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP816 million.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-B (Mimaropa) chief Brig. Roger Quesada said the suspect, identified only as alias Christopher, 43, of Barangay Polo Maestra Bita, was arrested at about 8 a.m. through a K-9 inspection.
The authorities found the suspected shabu in 120 sealed packages concealed inside two luggage and five travel bags.
The law enforcers also confiscated a white Toyota Camry, an Android phone, and a ferry ticket.
The suspect is facing charges for violating Section 5 (Sale of Illegal Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Quesada commended the teamwork of the PRO-4-B and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 4-B for “this significant accomplishment.”
“This successful operation is a testament to the effectiveness of our intensified inter-agency collaboration,” he said.
Meanwhile, PDEA Director General, Undersecretary Isagani Nerez, said a Chinese national, identified only as alias Li, was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Bacoor City, Cavite at 6 a.m. Friday.
Nerez said seized from the Chinese national were 32 kg. of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP217 million and four sachets of ecstasy worth PHP42,000.
“The arrested Chinese national has been under our tight watch for quite some time now under COPLAN: Mafioso. He is capable of distributing voluminous amounts of illegal drugs, and is now behind bars,” he said. (PNA)
