Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) head Aaron Aquino presents the suspects as well as the confiscated P74.8 million worth of illegal drugs (shabu) during a press briefing at the PDEA office on June 5, 2018. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
Law enforcement authorities have busted P74.8 million worth of illegal drugs in a “controlled delivery operation” in Parañaque City and Cavite province, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Tuesday.
PDEA chief Dir. Gen. Aaron Aquino said joint operatives of PDEA-National Capital Region, Region 3, and Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force confiscated 11 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) in two separate operations around noon Monday in Sitio Sto. Niño along East Service Road in Parañaque City, and San Nicolas, Bacoor City in Cavite.
Anti-drug operatives arrested Dolores Lintag, 51, and Melchor Corocoto, 29, in Parañaque; and Daniel dela Cruz, 21, and William dela Pizza, in Cavite. They all face charges in violation of Section 4 Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
According to Aquino, the illegal drugs were discovered wrapped in vacuum tin foil and stuffed inside three piano seats and a box of a charcoal grill pan.
He said a freight forwarding service in Clark Freeport Zone had tipped the PDEA of the suspicious-looking package.
The agency then sent a team to inspect and retrieve samples from the package for laboratory examination, which yielded a positive result for shabu.
The team subsequently placed the shipment under surveillance for two days and dispatched two teams to the supposed destination of the package.
In Parañaque City, authorities recovered a box found to be containing a grill pan and stool bar stuffed with shabu, which weighed around 6.5 kilos and valued at P44.2 million.
In Bacoor City, meanwhile, government agents confiscated a box containing a piano chair stuffed with 4.5 kilos shabu worth around P30.6 million.
A controlled delivery is a technique used when a consignment of illegal drugs is detected and allowed to go forward under the control and surveillance of law enforcement officers to secure evidence against illegal drug traffickers, PDEA explained. /kga