MANILA, Philippines -- “Ang pao,” or the red envelopes used in giving money gifts, were found to have been used to conceal the illegal drug shabu, police said.

The Anti-Illegal Drugs Branch of the Metro Manila Regional Police Office said in a report that one such envelope containing a transparent sachet with 50 grams of suspected shabu and a cigarette carton containing two plastic sachets holding a total of 150 grams of shabu were confiscated from a suspected drug dealer.

The police office said its personnel nabbed Chinese national Zhi Min Ong alias Eddie, of Binondo, Manila, at around 3 p.m. Friday in a buy-bust operation in front of the Francisco Balagtas Elementary School on Severino Reyes St.

Undercover agents had earlier placed an order with Zhi for 200 grams of shabu. At the appointed meeting place, Zhi showed up and handed the agents the drugs. When the suspect received the payment, he was promptly arrested, the report said.

The suspect is now under the custody of the NCRPO and will be charged with selling illegal drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.