SHABU worth a total of P890.8 million was seized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP in anti-drug operations in Angeles City, Pampanga last Wednesday and Norzagaray, Bulacan before noon yesterday.
A Chinese, Wang, 31, and his Filipina cohort, 24, were arrested in Pampanga, with the PDEA saying they are among the top suppliers of drugs in the country.
PDEA said “three high-value pushers” were arrested in Bulacan, identified only as Jessie, 44; Kristina, 36; and JB, 21, a college student.
PDEA said the shabu seized in Pampanga was worth P686.8 million while the shabu seized in Bulacan was worth P204 million.
In a statement last Wednesday night, PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez said the PDEA will continue to crack down against the likes of Wang and Shania.
They were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the PDEA, PNP and the Armed Forces before noon last Wednesday on Friendship Highway in Barangay Sto Domingo, Angeles City. The operation also led to the seizure of 101 kilos of shabu, worth P686.8 million.
“This operation is a product of our continuous tracking of our previous operations targeting the main source of the illegal drugs,” said Nerez.
“The government is prioritizing the conduct of high-impact operations leading to high-volume drug seizures and the arrest of high-value drug personalities like alias Wang and Shania who are (among) the top suppliers of illegal drugs in the country,” said Nerez.
The suspects in Bulacan were arrested in a buy-bust operation at Payogi Leisure Hub on Old Barrio Road, Barangay Minuyan in Norzagaray.
The three sold two kilos of shabu worth P13.6 million to a poseur buyer.
“When operatives searched their belongings, they were found to have in possession 28 more kilograms of shabu worth P190,400,000,” PDEA said in a statement.
Also seized from the suspects were the buy-bust money, a black Toyota Fortuner, a mobile phone and several identification cards.
“One operation leads to another. We connected the dots by piecing together information and evidence from our previous operations that ultimately led to the arrest of the suspects who happened to be top-level shabu traffickers,” said PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez.
Wang and Shania are facing charges of violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002). – With Christian Oineza