MANILA, Philippines — Anti-narcotics agents confiscated around four kilos of shabu valued at P27.2 million in the cities of Taguig and Las Piñas on Tuesday night.
In Taguig, a suspected leader of a criminal ring and his partner were arrested for alleged possession of three kilos of shabu worth P27.2 million.
Basser Utto, 32, and Normina Datuan, 25, were in a Toyota Vios sedan when police pulled them over for reckless driving at the corner of Pendatun and Old Housing streets in Barangay Maharlika at around 11:45 p.m.
A police officer was about to issue a traffic citation ticket to Utto when the lawman noticed a bag packed with Chinese tea bags in the vehicle.
Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft, director of the Southern Police District, said the tea bags contained illegal drugs.
Based on their investigation, Kraft said Utto’s group was allegedly responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in Taguig and other nearby cities.
“I am confident we can do more to eliminate illegal drugs in the future,” he said.
In Las Piñas, a 37-year-old man was arrested in a sting that yielded a kilo of shabu with an estimated street value of P6.8 million.
Jayson Lucas was apprehended along Bayabas street in Barangay CAA – BF International at around 4:30 p.m.
Lucas reportedly sold P300 worth of shabu to a police officer who posed as a buyer.
Police said Lucas is on the list of most wanted drug pushers in Las Piñas.
The suspects are being held on charges of violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
In Pasay, four parcels containing 5,118 tablets of the party drug Ecstasy and marijuana oil worth P24.7 million were intercepted on Tuesday, the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) reported yesterday.
The drugs were seized at the Central Mail Exchange Center along Domestic Road, according to DEG director Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo.
Domingo said drugs were shipped by three persons from different places in the United States.
The items were consigned to four people: two in Manila and one each in Pasig and Parañaque.