PDEA: Foreigner, Filipino cohort nabbed in P850M Pangasinan shabu bust
By Chito Chavez
A total of P850 million worth of "crystal meth" or shabu was seized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law enforcement agencies from a Chinese national and his Filipino accomplice during a buy-bust operation in Pangasinan on Thursday, Oct. 2.
The PDEA said that Chinese national alias "Monkey," 40, and his local cohort "Gardo," 54, who were in the high-value target (HVT) drug list of authorities, were caught during an entrapment operation along the Olongapo-Bugallon Road.
Aside from shabu, authorities also confiscated a Hyundai Starex, one mobile phone and the buy-bust money from the suspects.
PDEA Director General Isagani R. Nerez said that the operation was the product of persistent tracking of previous operations targeting individuals connected to syndicated drug trafficking, including their sources.
“All extracted information was used to our advantage resulting in the arrest of these high-value drug personalities and the confiscation of the large sum of illegal drugs,” Nerez noted.
The operation was carried out by the PDEA Intelligence Service,, PDEA Regional Office I Pangasinan Provincial Office, local Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Counterintelligence Group.
The suspects face charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
If found guilty, the penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000.00 to P10,000,000.00 await the suspects.