PDEA SEIZES P272-M SHABU CONCEALED AS ‘DRIED DURIAN’ IN RIZAL

PHILIPPINE  Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents arrested a suspect and seized some P272  million worth of suspected shabu concealed in foil packs labeled as “freeze-dried durian” in Chinese characters in an anti-narcotics operation in Binangonan, Rizal before midnight Wednesday.

PDEA chair Director General Isagani R. Nerez said that around 40 kilograms of the “poor man’s cocaine” were confiscated during the buy-bust operation at Rizal Cement Village in Bgy. Pantok in Binangonan municipality.

Arrested was a “high-value target” identified as alias “Ronald.”

According to Nerez, undercover officers from the PDEA Intelligence Service, National Capital Region Office and Regional Office 4-A conducted the operation, with the support of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group.

Seized during the operation were 40 foil packs colored black gold each containing a kilo of the prohibited drugs.

The seized items were sent to the PDEA Laboratory Service for further examination and safekeeping.

The arrested suspect is now being held at the PDEA national headquarters in Quezon City facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The PDEA chief said follow-up operations are  underway to identify and arrest the main source of the confiscated illegal drugs.

Nerez ommended the PDEA and PNP-DEG operatives involved in the  successful “high-impact operation,” which he described as a major blow to the supply chain of illegal drugs in the streets.