Woman, tagged as drug ring leader, caught

MANILA, Philippines - A woman who allegedly leads a drug ring in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City was arrested in a sting yesterday morning.

Merlita Samson Cruz, 45, of Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, yielded 1.2 kilos of shabu, which has a street value of P2.2 million, according to Chief Inspector Enrico Figueroa, who heads the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) anti-illegal drug unit.

He said Samson agreed to sell 100 grams of shabu for P200,000 yesterday. He added that they had been monitoring her for three weeks.

Samson was arrested after she handed over the shabu to an undercover police officer.

A kilo of shabu, in a gift-wrapped box, was seized from the suspect. Figueroa believes the package is for another transaction.

The QCPD arrested one of the members of Samson’s gang during a raid on a drug den in East Fairview and used the member’s mobile phone to lure Samson.

Samson was identified by one of the drug peddlers apprehended by the QCPD as the leader of the “Amalie” drug gang, which operates in Quezon City and neighboring areas, Figueroa said.

QCPD records show Samson was detained at the Quezon City Jail on drug charges and was released in August 2014.