Jeepney driver yields shabu left behind by passenger to NBI
A passenger rode a jeepney from Cavite to Parañaque and, like any typical commuters, fell asleep on the road. The driver called the passenger’s attention after reaching the terminal, startled, the passenger jumped and fled leaving behind P10 million worth of shabu in “Zesto” boxes.
The driver checked the boxes left by the passenger and to his surprise saw white crystalline substance. Sensing danger, he hid his family in another province and reported the incident to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
At a press conference, the NBI presented the large packs of methampetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, weighing 2.036 kilograms which was turned over last Sunday by the jeepney driver.
NBI Spokesman Atty. Ferdinand Lavin said they believe that the drug syndicates have decided to use the common transport system to avoid suspicion.
“Ngayon ang delivery system nila common carrier system, public transport na lang maybe because they are feeling the heat. Mainit na ngayon ang checkpoint ng gobyerno (Their delivery system now is through public transport maybe because they are feeling the heat, government checkpoints are hot spots),” he said.
After hiding his family, the driver called the NBI to report the incident. Then, the NBI-Anti-Illegal Drugs Division (NBI-AIDD) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) went to the house of the driver and turned over the abandoned package.
Examination conducted by the Forensic Chemistry Division confirmed that its contents were shabu.
Lavin said with the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs, people are afraid of being involved in or possessing illegal drugs.
“Hindi naman yan alam ng driver at first na shabu yan (the driver didn’t know at first that the boxes contained shabu),” said Lavin who noted that the driver only discovered the contents at home.
“If this were another time, kung hindi ang focus ng administrasyon ay illegal drugs, baka tinago na lang ito, binenta (if the administration’s focus is not on illegal drugs, this might have been hidden then sold),” he added.
“They have full trust now in your state security forces, your law enforcers,” he stated.
The NBI said the driver has provided vital information to determine the owner of the illegal drugs. RAM
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