Suspect arrested in ‘shabu’ buy-bust operation in Manila

SUSPECTED drug dealer Beni Chua Ang (right) was cornered by the police at a mall parking area where he allegedly sold a kilo of “shabu” for P5 million to an undercover agent. ARNOLD ALMACEN

MANILA, Philippines – A 30-year-old foreigner was arrested Friday afternoon after being found in possession of roughly P20-million worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” in a buy-bust operation at the Baclaran area in Manila, an official of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operation Task Force said.

Chief Inspector Roque Merdegia, chief of the Legal and Investigation Division of AID-SOTF, said suspected drug trader Benny Chua, identified as a Chinese national, was arrested around 1 p.m. after allegedly selling one kilo of shabu to an undercover agent at the parking area of Coastal Mall.

However, after further search, Merdegia said three more kilograms of the illegal drug were recovered from the back of Chua’s vehicle with license plate ZKL 391.