Malaysian national convicted of illegal possession of 1.48 tons of shabu
A Malaysian national has been convicted by the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) of illegal possession of 1.48 tons of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday, Nov. 21.
In a statement, the DOJ said the RTC decision, which was promulgated last Nov. 19, declared Kong Ket Koon guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal possession of prohibited drugs under Section 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The DOJ said that Koon was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of P10 million.
A copy of the RTC decision was not available.
“Barely half a year from the time the accused was apprehended, the team of prosecutors were able to secure the conviction of accused Koon,” said the DOJ.
It commended the panel of prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Grace V. Pulido-Sadian and Prosecution Attorneys Klarissa U. Arcillas and Ryan E. Leocario.
The DOJ said that Koon was arrested during a maritime interdiction operation conducted last June 19 by the Northern Luzon Naval Command (NLNC), together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), off the coast of Zambales.
The shabu were found in 50 sacks aboard a Philippine-registered fishing vessel that carried five people including the foreigner.
The PDEA estimated the value of the seized shabu at P10.2 billion.