Cops seize 90 kilos of dope

Two Chinese from Hong Kong, believed to be members of the 14K drug syndicate, and two Filipino cohorts with some 90 kilos of marijuana were arrested by the Malabon Police Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) during a buy-bust operation yesterday.

Malabon City police chief Superintendent Ernesto Fojas Jr., in a report to Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, identified the suspects as Chinese nationals Luk Wai alias "Sam," 30, single and Cheung Saiwah, 36, both billeted at Bay View Hotel along Roxas Boulevard in Manila; Danilo King y Quilala alias "Danny," 48, residing at 1396 Estrella Street, Bangkal, Makati City and Danilo Regala y Ygot, 23, of 4th Singco Street, Sucat, Parañaque City.

Malabon DEU chief Inspector Noel Lasquite, who led the operation, said the marijuana leaves, machine-compacted into bricks weighing one kilo each and stashed in four black travel bags, were seized from the suspects and are now in the custody of the Narcotics Group at Camp Crame.

Suspect King told The STAR they got the marijuana from a drop off point in Pasay but did not say where the goods originally came from.

Lasquite said the marijuana most likely was grown in isolated or remote plantations in Baguio and the Cordilleras and transported to clandestine plants in less conspicuous places in the urban areas where the dried marijuana leaves are then "repackaged" into bricks for easier distribution.

Lasquite said the group, which has been under surveillance for the last three weeks, is responsible for the large scale distribution of illegal drugs particularly in the depressed communities in Malabon and adjoining cities and towns in the Camanava area.

Lasquite said the haul had an estimated street value of about P.5 million (at P5,000 per kilo).

Fojas said they are coordinating with the Narcom Group in Camp Crame and have requested a background investigation particularly on the two Hong Kong nationals.

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Edgar Aglipay rushed to the NPDO along Tanigue Street in Caloocan City and together with NPDO chief Querol brought the suspects and the drug haul to Camp Crame for a media presentation presided by PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza at PNP Headquarters.

On a tip from an asset, a crack team of anti-drug operatives led by Lasquite himself was quickly formed which established contact with the group. The initial transaction took place in Barangay Niugan in Malabon City at around one in the morning with some 10 kilos of the marijuana bricks.

Lasquite said his team waited at the Petron gas station along Gov. Pascual Avenue in Barangay Baritan, the designated rendezvous point for the entrapment.

After waiting for an hour, the suspects arrived on board a Toyota FX (WEZ 406).

Poseur-buyer PO1 Joel Fernandez, with the informant in tow, approached the suspects’ vehicles and after a while Luk Wai handed over the goods. At a pre-arranged signal, the other members of the team pounced on the suspects. A search made on the vehicle yielded more marijuana. — Pete Laude and Christina Mendez