INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY — Police anti-illegal drugs operatives arrested on Wednesday three alleged big-time traffickers and seized more than P2.7 million worth of shabu (crystal meth) in Candelaria town in Quezon province.
Quezon police chief Colonel Ledon Monte reported on Thursday, March 30, that local anti-narcotics operatives collared Michael Dakila, 42, and Leovernie Quitain, 38, at 11:45 p.m. after selling P15,000 worth of meth to an undercover cop in Barangay Masin Norte.
The suspects were carrying 14 sachets and one knot-tied plastic containing shabu all weighing 123.7 grams.
The seized shabu has an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P841,160 and a street market value of P2,523,480 at the prevailing price of P20,400 per gram.
The report tagged Dakila as a “high-value” target in the government’s war against illegal drugs, while Quitain is listed as an identified drug pusher in the locality.
The same police team busted Gerson Silva, 32, in another sting operation in Barangay Malabanban Sur at around 9 p.m.
Authorities found Silva, an identified street-level pusher, in alleged possession of three sachets of shabu with a street value of P255,000.
The Candelaria police are conducting further investigation to determine the source of the illegal drugs.
In Lucena City, Lieutenant Colonel Erickson Roranes, local police chief, also reported the arrest of an armed drug suspect at a checkpoint in Barangay Cotta at 5:32 p.m.
Police officers flagged down motorcycle rider Rhe-Rey Reynoso, 28, for not wearing the mandated crash helmet and without a plate number for his vehicle.
One of the cops noticed that Reynoso threw a coin purse that allegedly had several sachets containing P1,260 worth of marijuana and P6,120 worth of shabu.
When frisked, the suspect yielded an undocumented caliber .22 handgun with five bullets.
All suspects were detained at the local police jail and face charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Reynoso will face another criminal charge for violation of gun laws.
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