Quezon cops seize P3.5-million ‘shabu’, gun from 5 alleged traffickers

Quezon police’s anti-illegal drug agents arrested five alleged traffickers and seized more than P3.5 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) in separate operations in Lucena City and Mauban town on Friday night, May 17, 2024. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LUCENA CITY — Quezon police’s anti-illegal drug agents arrested five alleged traffickers and seized more than P3.5 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) in separate operations in Lucena City and Mauban town on Friday night, May 17.

The Quezon police reported that combined operatives from provincial and city police anti-narcotic units arrested “Jan-Jan”, 29, and “Dennis”, 49, after they sold shabu worth P2,000 to an undercover police officer during a sting held in Barangay (village) Ibabang Dupay in Lucena City.

Confiscated from the suspects were eight plastic sachets of shabu weighing 165 grams worth about P1,122,000 as per the Dangerous Drugs Board valuation.

The seized illegal substance is worth P3,366,000 in the street market at the prevailing price of P20,400 per gram, the police report said.

Lucena City police chief Lieutenant Colonel Reynaldo Reyes said the arrest of the suspects would further bring down the supply of shabu to remaining drug users in the city.

READ: ‘High-value’ drug trafficker busted in Quezon; P938,000 ‘shabu’ seized

Police hotlines here often received information from anonymous callers on illegal drug activities which were subsequently confirmed by rehabilitated drug users and pushers.

Police tagged Jan-Jan and Dennis, both residents of the locality, as included on the police drug watch list as an “HVI” or high-value individual in the illegal drug trade.

The report said Dennis was previously convicted on drug charges but did not state why and when he was freed.

Earlier, city drug enforcers also apprehended “Carlo”, 43, in another sting operation in Ibabang Iyam at 4:40 a.m.

The suspect, an identified street pusher, yielded P34,884 worth of meth.

READ: ‘Shabu’ worth P1 million, gun seized in Quezon

In Mauban town, local policemen nabbed “Jerald”, 26, in Barangay Sadsaran at around 7:25 a.m. and seized shabu worth P177,480 in the street market.

In Barangay Lual Barrio, local cops armed with a search warrant also busted “Kagaw”, 38, at about 10:50 p.m. and recovered P14,280 worth of shabu.

The arrest of “Kagaw” also reportedly yielded an undocumented caliber .38 revolver loaded with one bullet.

Quezon police were tracking the source of the illegal drugs being peddled by the suspects.

“The successful operations are a testament to our unwavering commitment to make Quezon province drug-free,” Colonel Ledon Monte, Quezon police chief said in a statement.

All suspects were detained and are facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Kagaw will also be slapped with a case for violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.