MANILA, Philippines — Anti-narcotics police operatives seized methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P3.74 million in two sting operations in Las Piñas and Quezon City on Saturday.
In Las Piñas, three suspected drug pushers were arrested and 450 grams of shabu valued at P3.06 million were confiscated in Barangay Pulang Lupa Uno at 3 a.m.
Ariel Temporal, 48, and Jennifer Francisco, 58, both high-value suspects, as well as Joan Angue, 47, met with operatives of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group along C5 Road and negotiated for the sale of a pack of shabu, PDEG director Brig. Gen. Eleazar Matta said.
“Their arrest is part of the supply reduction strategy,” Matta said in a statement.
Meanwhile, two more high-value targets in the illegal drug trade were arrested and shabu with a street value of P680,000 were recovered in Quezon City.
Ella Reofrir, 27, and Eric Tongco, 46, were apprehended by police in a house in Barangay Balon-Bato at around 6:20 p.m., National Capital Region Police Office director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a message on Viber.
Around 100 grams of shabu and a weighing scale were seized from the suspects.
The suspects are being held on charges of drug trafficking.