MANILA, Philippines - Anti-narcotics agents nabbed the no. 3 drug personality in Lanao del Sur and his nephew during a sting operation, seizing a number of drugs and high powered firearms, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Tuesday.
PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said Maminta Balindong Ali, 47, listed as Number 3 Regional Top Priority Target Drug Personality of PDEA Regional Office 9; and his nephew, Alinor Sampurna Ali, 23, a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit were arrested during a sting operation last Nov. 24.
Reports said the buy bust operation was staged at the vicinity of Barangay Liangan, Picong, Lanao del Sur around 10 a.m. when an undercover agent who acted as poseur-buyer was able to enter into a drug transaction with Maminta.
Maminta reportedly sold a transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu weighing 2.5 grams, to the PDEA agent.
Upon a pre-arranged signal, operatives immediately arrested Maminta. Authorities also confiscated a total of 313 pieces of transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing approximately 45 grams, a Colt M16 rifle, four pieces of magazine for Colt M16 rifle and 80 pieces of live ammunition.
While some operatives were conducting an inventory of the seized items, some PDEA agents arrested Alinor who was seen outside the house of Maminta and was armed with an M16 assault rifle.
Alinor, believed to be a look out of Maminta, tried to escape by hiding in a room where operatives discovered four caliber 5.56 rifles, a caliber 7.62 machine gun, a 7.62 AK47 rifle, 33 pieces of magazines of various firearms, and 218 pieces of live ammunition.
Seized pieces of drug evidence were brought to the Philippine National Police Regional Crime Laboratory for quantitative examination, the PDEA said.
Aside from drug raps, Maminta and Alinor will also face illegal gun possession charges.