Cavite, Rizal drug busts yield P3.9 million worth of shabu

LUCENA CITY, Quezon— Five alleged big-time drug traffickers were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Cavite and Rizal provinces over the past two days, with authorities confiscating over P3.9 million worth of suspected shabu (crystal meth).

In a report, the Police Regional Office 4A (PRO-4A) said anti-illegal drug operatives in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, arrested three suspects identified only by their aliases “Oma,” “Rego,” and “Jeje” at around 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday after they allegedly sold P1,000 worth of shabu to an undercover police operative in Barangay Salitran 2.

Recovered from the suspects were three knot-tied plastic bags and one heat-sealed plastic sachet containing about 300 grams of suspected shabu valued at P2,040,000 based on the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) valuation of P6,800 per gram.

READ: P2.3 million worth of ‘shabu,’ gun seized in Cavite, Rizal

Authorities also confiscated a car allegedly used in the illegal drug trade and a mobile phone that investigators said would be examined for possible records of drug transactions.

Police identified the three suspects as high-value individuals (HVIs) listed in the drug watchlist. HVIs are classified as financiers, traffickers, manufacturers, importers of illegal drugs, or leaders and members of drug groups.

Earlier, at around 1:40 a.m., anti-narcotics agents in Taytay, Rizal arrested another suspect identified as “Rojo” during a sting operation in Barangay San Juan.

Authorities recovered from the suspect, also an HVI, four heat-sealed plastic sachets and one knot-tied plastic bag containing about 180 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated DDB value of P1,224,000.

On Monday, police in Binangonan, Rizal, also arrested alias “Dolph” after he allegedly sold shabu to a poseur buyer in Barangay Darangan.

The suspect, likewise tagged as an HVI, allegedly yielded seven plastic sachets containing around 100 grams of suspected shabu valued at P680,000 based on DDB estimates.

Police also seized the suspect’s motorcycle.

Authorities in Cavite and Rizal are conducting follow-up investigations to determine the source of the illegal drugs.

All five suspects remain under police custody and are facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./coa