Girl, Korean boyfriend nabbed in drug bust
A 22-year-old woman and her Korean boyfriend were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 in a hotel in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City on Friday evening.
Seized from suspects Maria Adora Wenceslao and Kim Kyong Don, 44, were two medium packs believed to contain shabu with an estimated value of P50,000.
PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Albiar said that they received a report from a concerned citizen about the alleged illegal activity of Wenceslao who was the subject of the operation.
Kim was also arrested after PDEA operatives allegedly seized from him a pack of crystalline powder believed to be shabu.
Albiar said that the suspects were staying at the hotel for quite some time already.
They allegedly hold their illegal business in the hotel and most of their customers are Koreans.
Wenceslao can allegedly sell 50 to 100 grams of shabu per week.
Albiar also said that there is a possibility that they will invite the management of the hotel for questioning to determine if they are aware of the activities that the suspects have been doing.
“Our team observed that the hotel’s security is not very strict. Otherwise, they would have noticed that several people are coming in and out who are not their guests,” said Albiar.
The suspects are now detained in the PDEA-7 detention cell pending filing of appropriate case.
Meanwhile, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña has issued a memorandum which aims to establish proper protocol in handling dangerous drugs or land controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) within the jurisdiction of the bureau.
In a statement, BOC said that under the said memorandum, all suspected dangerous drugs or CPECs discovered by way of regular course of work at the BOC be immediately reported to the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (CAIDTF) for proper coordination with PDEA.
All shipments found to contain these illegal substances within the jurisdiction of the BOC and intended for controlled delivery, the PDEA shall be the lead agency and is responsible for the efficient and effective law enforcement of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical.
It can be recalled that former Customs Chief Nicanor Faeldon and other BOC employees faced simultaneous Congress and Senate investigations on the alleged mishandling of the 605-kilo methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) from China.
"Ignorance of the law excuses no one. Let us follow the law and the proper protocol. However, let me also urge our BOC operatives to be always on tight guard so that we can suppress all drug importations right at the port of entry,” Lapeña said.