PDEA-Palawan nabs man over ‘shabu’ found inside parcel of fried garlic

A search and rescue operation is underway after two motorized boats with 11 passengers capsized off Roxas town in Palawan province on Wednesday evening (January 24, 2024). Palawan map stock photo / INQUIRER FILES

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Palawan on Tuesday found “shabu” (crystal meth) worth more than P300,000 inside a parcel full of fried garlic.

The package was addressed to an individual in this city.

In a report, PDEA Palawan said they also arrested the parcel recipient who was identified as Junar Gonzaga during an operation in Malvar Street, Barangay (village) San Miguel at around 10:30 a.m.

Gonzaga received a package sent via a courier by a certain Princess Acuña from the province of Laguna, the report said.

Gonzaga was sent to prison back in 2019 for another drug case and is currently under probation until October this year after being released from jail in 2022.

Found inside the parcel were four plastic bags containing fried garlic in which two sachets containing suspected shabu, weighing 54.55 grams with an estimated market value of P370,800, were hidden and wrapped in black electrical tape.

PDEA operatives said they received information regarding the package sent by Acuña through Gonzaga’s contact inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City identified only as “El Chupa Pho.”

PDEA operatives also said El Chupa Pho tried to “fix” the issue with a P20,000 bribe in exchange for the items and for Gonzaga to be let go. PDEA did not provide additional details.

PDEA Palawan detained Gonzaga who will be facing a charge of violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.