ILLEGAL SHIPMENT Police cordon off the three vans found loaded with packs of “shabu” (crystal meth) at a checkpoint in Infanta, Quezon, on Tuesday. —PHOTO COURTESY OF INFANTA VICE MAYOR LA Ruanto
The 10 men who were caught in Infanta, Quezon, transporting what the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had described as the “biggest drug haul in Philippine history” were charged on Wednesday with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
NBI Acting Director Eric Distor said operatives of the NBI Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (NBI-TFAID), during an operation early Tuesday, recovered from the group’s vehicles almost 1,600 plastic tea bags containing P11-billion worth of “shabu” (crystal meth).
He said the three vans used by the suspects were stopped at a security checkpoint in Barangay Comon at 4 a.m. Tuesday.
“(This is) unprecedented and historic considering the volume and amount (of the illegal drugs confiscated,” the NBI said in a statement. “As of date, this is the biggest drug haul in Philippine history.”
Ross Jonathan Galicia, NBI-TFAID head, identified those arrested and charged as Jamelanie Samsono, Reynante Alpuerto, Jenard Samson, Mark Bryan Abonita, Dante Manoso, Kennedy Abonita, Marvin Gallardo, Eugene Pandoma, Alvin Evardo and Jaymante Gallaro.
Police Col. Joel Villanueva, Quezon police director, ordered police chiefs in the province’s 34 coastal towns to monitor their coastline to prevent drug smuggling following the drug seizure in Infanta.
“Local police forces in coastal towns should tap the whole community for cooperation to foil any attempt to sneak in illegal drugs,” Villanueva told the Inquirer in a telephone interview on Wednesday.’
Gov. Danilo Suarez appealed for public cooperation against the resurgence of drug smuggling in the province.
“As responsible citizens, anyone with information should immediately contact government authorities,” Suarez said in a separate telephone interview.
He warned local officials not to connive with drug smugglers or engage in any illegal activities to finance their campaigns during the election season.
The governor said he would ask the police and NBI to look into the possible connection of any local official in the drug smuggling attempt.
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