Drugs worth 700mil pesos seized in Philippines; cops probing link to ‘floating' shabu
FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos (C, in white shirt) and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (2nd R) inspect seized methamphetamine drugs in Alitatag town in Batangas province on April 16, 2024. - AFP
MANILA: Suspected shabu (crystal meth) with a street value of P700.4 million (US$12.4 million) was confiscated in Bulacan, Central Luzon, prompting authorities to investigate potential links to the illegal drugs recently recovered in waters off coastal provinces.
Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP DEG) Director Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates announced this in a press conference at Camp Crame on Monday (June 30).
According to the PNP DEG, 103 kilograms of shabu were seized in an operation on Saturday night along Bantique Street in Barangay Bulihan, Plaridel.
'When we opened the package, our investigators who were conducting the inventory said it was still wet. The bag was also wet. Then the packaging was wet. The tea bags had four layers of covering,' Quilates said.
When asked if the shabu was linked to drugs recently recovered in the waters off Luzon, Quilates answered, 'We will look into that. We will connect it to the recoveries there in Subic recently. That's the disposition of our operatives and investigators.'
According to the PNP DEG, a Chinese individual and a Filipino were arrested during the operation last Saturday. Police identified them as 'Lian,' 55, and 'Ry,' 40, respectively.
'He has a seafood store and a small restaurant. He has a common-law wife. They've been living [there] for more than ten years. He's been here a while,' Quilates said.
'We will check on his documents as to how he got here and his status of residency here in our country,' he added.
Quilates said the Filipino suspect was merely the Chinese national's helper.
The suspects were brought to the PNP DEG for documentation, while the seized drugs were turned over to the Forensic Group for laboratory examination.
Quilates noted that the suspects will face charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
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