Cavite police seize P2.5-B shabu
GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite: Local authorities, together with the Cavite Drug Enforcement Team and the Cavite Provincial Police Office under PPO chief Col. Marlon Santos, seized shabu with an estimated market value of P2.543 billion in a buy-bust at a village here on Thursday.
LtCol. Marlo Solero, acting police chief of General Trias, identified the suspected owner of the illegal drug as Muad Romorus Abedin Mangotara of Somerset 9 Subdivision in Barangay Navarro.
The authorities confiscated the shabu placed inside 374 packs, each weighing 1 kilo, during the operation around 8:30 in the evening.
They also confiscated boodle money worth P1 million plus two P1,000 bills used by undercover agents to purchase the illegal substance.
Mangotara, who is now under police custody, will be facing charges of illegal possession of illegal drugs under Republic Act (RA) 9165.
Local leaders led by Rep. Luis Ferrer 4th and Mayor Antonio Ferrer cited the authorities for busting Mangotara
that they said showed the government’s continuing anti-drug war amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In Zamboaga City, close to P10 million worth of shabu was also confiscated last Wednesday afternoon by local law enforcers from a Muslim suspect in another buy-bust at Sitio Zone 3, Camachille Drive at Barangay Ayala in the city.
Maj. Ramon Bautista, Ayala Police Station commander, reported to Zamboanga City Police chief Col. Thomas Joseph Martir the arrest of Alnajim Asakil Sarail, a native of Tawi-Tawi’s capital town of Bongao.
Bautista said Sarail, who claimed that the illegal drug was intended for distribution to various shabu sellers in Zamboanga City, was later detained at the Ayala Police Station and is facing drug-related charges.
The shabu seized was brought to the local Philippine National Police ( PNP) Crime Laboratory for examination.
In yet another sting last Monday, a 15- year- old student was arrested by Ayala Police Station men at Sitio Caragasan in Maasin village.
Police recovered from the suspect’s possession seven sachets of shabu with an estimated market value of P25,000 and some P2,000 marked money.
He was later turned over to the City Social Development Center at Barangay Santa Barbara while the seized illegal drug was forwarded to the PNP Crime Laboratory for testing.
In Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, authorities manning a checkpoint in Barangay Namabbalan on Friday flagged down a motorcycle-riding drug suspect, Yves Emmanuel, 24.
Emmanuel was stopped at the checkpoint for routine inspection but tried to escape and drew a short firearm, prompting the authorities to shoot.
He sustained a gunshot wound at the right side of his body.
Seized from him were suspected marijuana, a cal. 38 revolver, Iphone, sling bag, the Suzuki motorcycle and a tooter.
The suspect was brought to
the hospital.
In nearby Santiago City, Isabela, the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency ( PDEA) Region 2 arrested another drug suspect also on Friday.
Busted at Sitio Lanuza, Barangay Baluarte was Adrian Martinsen Moreno, 31, single, self-employed and a resident of the village.
He was caught selling suspected shabu to a PDEA agent who acted as poseur-buyer.
Seized from him was one gram of shabu worth P5,000.
A case for violation of Section 5, Article II, of RA 9165 will be filed against Moreno.
From January 1 to early June this year, P6 billion worth of shabu was seized, according to a PNP report.
The biggest haul during the period was a total of over P5 billion worth of shabu seized in Marilao, Bulacan, recently.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa earlier said police operations against crimes and illegal drugs would continue despite the pandemic.
Moreover, Gamboa added, the country’s war on drugs has evolved to focus on supply reduction.