The buy-bust operation was conducted in coordination with the Central Police District after verifying reports that Manila drug pushers were sourcing their supply from the two suspects based in Quezon City.
Western Police District Drug Enforcement Group (WPD-DEG) chief, Chief Inspector Jose Mario Espino, identified the suspects as Rufo de la Cruz, 39, of Block 2, Lot 17, Lagro Subdivision, Quezon City, and Joey Evangelista, 35, of 146 Poblacion II, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
Recovered from the suspects were an undetermined quantity of shabu and P2,000 in marked money.
A 1987 model silver Toyota Corona with license plate PJR-151 used by the suspects in their drug deal was also impounded by the police.
The buy-bust was conducted in a parking lot of SM Fairview in Lagro, Quezon City.
Espino’s operatives had arrested 11 illegal drug peddlers in various parts of Manila in one week’s operations. He said most of the arrested drug pushers pointed to the two suspects as their source of shabu.
"The suspects transact most of their deals in Quezon City, but their clients are Manila-based drug pushers. So we coordinated with the Quezon City police for a buy-bust operation. Luckily it produced a positive result," Espino said.
Meanwhile, the WPD-DEG has started its summer outreach program by conducting seminars in different barangays to educate Manila residents on drug abuse and prevention.