MANILA, Philippines — Anti-narcotics operatives arrested a chemist and his accomplice while more than P3.4 million worth of suspected crystal meth or “shabu” was confiscated during a buy-bust operation in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna province on Wednesday.
A report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) identified the suspect as Yusuf Sultan alias Samson Tan and Dexter Abdala.
In a radio interview, PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said PDEA agents launched a three-month-long intelligence operation against Tan, allegedly a chemist making crystal meth.
“This is a 3-month intelligence operation apparently si Samson Tan, chemist ito (Apparently this Samson Tan is a chemist). Gumagawa ng shabu na nahuli ng Manila Police District (MPD) sometime in 2008 (He is creating shabu and arrested by MPD sometime in 2008),” Villanueva said over dzBB.
The bust was hatched at a parking lot in Barangay Don Jose at 9 a.m. The two suspects were arrested after Tan sold the illegal drug to an undercover anti-narcotics agent.
Authorities said the suspects are now detained at the PDEA office in Calabarzon while charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.