Makati court convicts 2 Canadians over P100-M drugs

Makati court convicts 2 Candians over P100-M drugs https://t.co/XZF6wTESWd via @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/tp0DfxRQQ0

— tetch torres-tupas (@T2TupasINQ) February 28, 2018

A Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced two Canadian nationals with life imprisonment for the P100 million worth of shabu, cocaine, and ecstacy seized from them in 2014 drug raids.

Makati RTC Branch 63 also ordered James Clayton Riach and Ali Memar Mortazavi Shirazi to each pay a P500,000-fine for possession of illegal drugs.

In an 11-page decision, Presiding Judge Selma Palacio Alaras further directed the forfeiture of the confiscated shabu in favor of the government as well as the turnover of the illegal drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for disposition.

“The point of contention in this case is whether the accused are guilty of possession of dangerous drugs found in Unit 3803 of Gramercy Residences,” the decision stated.

“After due assessment of the facts and evidence adduced, the Court is of the considered view that there is basis to support a finding of guilt against both accused for illegal possession of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, found in Unit 3803,” it added.

Senior State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera led the panel of prosecutors that handled the case against Riach and Shirazi with the assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Canadian police       /kga