Businessman, Fil-Am nabbed for illegal drugs

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confiscated yesterday 500 grams of cocaine from a businessman and a Filipino-American in an entrapment operation in Quezon City.

PDEA Director General Jose Gutierrez Jr. identified the suspects as Mark Barbers Ablan, a 49-year-old businessman; and Mark Lorenzo Diaz, a 46-year- old Filipino-American.

Personnel from PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service and National Capital Region (NCR) office arrested Ablan and Diaz after they allegedly sold six sachets of suspected cocaine to an undercover agent at a gas station along Katipunan Avenue at around 1 a.m.

PDEA agents also recovered three sachets of marijuana, assorted medicine, drug paraphernalia and a Toyota Camry (XNX-336) from the suspects, who are being held at the PDEA-NCR’s detention facility.