P240-K worth of marijuana seized in San Simon

In a press briefing held by Chief of Police Inspector Louie Gonzaga, the illegal drugs were recovered from three personalities identified as Christian Angelo Caluag, 24, from Barangay Calulut in City of San Fernando, Kenneth France Orallo, 25, from Bulacan, and Marc Rene Tolentino, 31, from Imus Cavite.

Gonzaga said that during the buy-bust operation, an undercover police agent was able to purchase a roll of dried marijuana leaves from the suspect in exchange for P1,000 marked money.

But during the declaration of arrest, Gonzaga said the suspects yielded 15 more rolls and two bricks of suspected marijuana leaves with a total weight of six kilograms amounting to some P240,000.

“These guys have long been a subject of monitoring and surveillance. We have studied their schemes properly before launching this operation to ensure that they will once and for all be apprehended,” he said.

Asked for the modus of the suspects, Gonzaga revealed that the trio sources their illegal products somewhere from the Cordillera region and delivers it to Metro Manila, but conducts a quick stop-over in Pampanga.

“As you can see on the venue of the transaction, it is just around the NLEx exit. Their scheme is to just deal with their suppliers here prior and then drop the items quickly before delivering the remaining illegal drugs to Metro Manila,” he narrated.

He, however, said that police operatives are still pinpointing the suspects’ suppliers in San Simon and in other parts of Pampanga as well as their usual buyers for them to also be apprehended.

“We are already monitoring several personalities but we have yet to confirm their involvement in illegal drugs. Most of these are actually young adults and are employed under the BPO (business process outsourcing) industry,” he said.

AN SIMON - A one-time-big time illegal drug operation conducted near the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) San Simon exit in Barangay Sta. Monica yesterday dawn yielded 16 rolls and two bricks of suspected dried marijuana leaves.

Chris Navarro BUY BUST. San Simon Chief of Police Chief Inspector Louie Gonzaga questions three suspected pushers who were arrested during a buy bust operation in Barangay Sta. Monica, San Simon yesterday. The three yielded six kilos of dried marijuana leaves with a street value of P 240,000. -