AUTHORITIES seized 160 kilos of alleged shabu worth around P1.1 billion and arrested a Chinese alleged drug dealer and his Filipino cohort in an anti-narcotics operation in Valenzuela City yesterday afternoon.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency identified the arrested Chinese drug trader as Tianzhu Lyu, 32, of Fujian, China, and his Filipino cohort as Meliza Villanueva, 37, of Concepcion, Tarlac.
The two were arrested at around 3:30 p.m. in Barangay Karuhatan, Valenzuela during a buy-bust operation jointly conducted by personnel from the PDEA, PNP, Armed Forces, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
PDEA said the suspects were accosted shortly after they sold shabu to undercover law enforcement operatives.
Also seized from Lyu and Villanueva were three mobile phones and identification cards.
PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva went to the site to inspect the seized illegal drugs while PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the haul was the largest amount of illegal drugs to be seized so far this year.
Last year’s biggest haul was 500 kilos, worth P3.4 billion, that was seized in Canderia, Zambales in September. The operation led to the death of four Chinese drug traffickers who fought it out with the authorities.
In June 2020, authorities seized 827 kilos of shabu, worth P5.6 billion, during a raid in Marilao, Bulacan and arrested a Chinese drug trafficker and his two Filipino cohorts.
