AROUND P1.482-billion worth of suspected shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride was seized in three anti-illegal drug operations in Quezon City, Valenzuela City and Balagtas, Bulacan.
The joint operations by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) resulted in the arrest of four Chinese nationals and the death of a fifth drug suspect who engaged law enforcers in a shootout.
Arrested suspects were identified as as Willie Lu Tan, a.k.a Chen Bien; Anton Wong, a.k.a Wang Zhong Chun and Wang Min; Chen Zhin; and Joseph Dy. The suspect who was killed in a shootout was identifed as Wu Zishen, 50.
The buy-bust operation at Magsaysay Street, Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City resulted in the arrest of Tan, Wong, and Min who yielded more or less 127 kilograms of shabu worth an estimated PhP863.6 million.
The buy-bust operation in front of the China Bank Savings branch along General Luis St, Paso de Blas, Valenzuela City resulted in Dy’s arrest and the confiscation of more or less 16 kilograms of shabu worth an estimated PhP108.8 million.
Another buy-bust operation at Barangay Santol, Balagtas, Bulacan resulted in an armed encounter that ended with the death of suspect Wu. Recovered at the scene were more or less 75 kilograms of shabu worth an estimated PhP510 million and one (1) Colt .45 pistol.
“Base sa paunang imbestigasyon, sila ang nagpapakalat ng droga dito sa Metro Manila at mga kalapit na lalawigan. Patuloy ang ating imbestigasyon at intelligence gathering operations upang matukoy natin kung sino ang lider at utak ng sindikatong ito at para mahuli na din ang iba pa nilang kasama sa grupo,” said PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar.
“This is a huge blow against the illegal drug trade dahil malaki ang posibilidad na ang sindikatong ito ang isa sa mga main suppliers ng iligal na droga dito sa Kamaynilaan at mga karatig probinsiya,” he added.