OPERATIVES of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized 155 kilos of shabu worth P1.05 billion in a raid in Angeles City, Pampanga last Monday afternoon.
Raided at around 4 p.m. was a house on Orchid Street, Timog Hills Subdivision in Barangay Pampang, PDEA said in a statement.
The subject of the search warrant, a Chinese who was not identified, was not around during the raid.
The suspect will be charged with possession of illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, PDEA said.
The operation was conducted in collaboration with the PNP, Armed Forces, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, PDEA said.
The operation was conducted 12 days after PDEA seized 101 kilos of shabu worth P686.8 million in Angeles City. A Chinese drug dealer and his Filipina partner were arrested in that operation.
PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez said yesterday’s raid was a follow-up operation.
“The two drug operations mentioned are linked to each other,” said Nerez.
“What you see is the outcome of persistent tracking of previous operations targeting individuals connected to syndicated drug trafficking, to include their sources,” added Nerez.
Nerez said yesterday’s operation was part of the “high-impact” efforts of PDEA in the continuing war against illegal drugs.
“While PDEA prioritizes the conduct of high-impact operations resulting in the arrests of high-value drug personalities and high-volume drug seizures, it is at the grassroots level where most of the drugs are sold and abused,” said Nerez.
“We will not relinquish our thrust to go after small-scale drug dealers in communities as ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” the PDEA chief added.
PDEA operatives arrested a Korean national for possession of shabu at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 1 in Pasay City yesterday morning.
The 63-year-old suspect was apprehended at 1 a.m. at the International Departure Area.
PDEA said the suspect was scheduled to board a flight bound for Incheon, South Korea.
PDEA said the suspect hid the shabu, worth P34,000, in his sling bag.
Also seized from the suspect were drug paraphernalia, cellular phones, travel documents, and identification cards.
In Pampanga, PDEA operatives seized 1.6 kilos of shabu worth P11.08 million at a warehouse of a courier service at the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City.
The illegal drugs were seized during an interdiction operation, PDEA said.
It said the package came from San Gabriel, California, and was sent by a certain Benny Moreno. It was supposed to be delivered to a female consignee in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
