MANILA -- Authorities arrested an accomplice of the leader of a criminal gang in a buy-bust operation in Caloocan early Wednesday.
Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Jaymark "Mac Mac" Mercene, alias Kapre, 18, was arrested inside Room No. 7, Marsman Hotel in Barangay Grace Park around 1:30 a.m.
Mercene is a trusted man of criminal gang leader Edgardo Mongado Co Jr. alias J.R. Co, who is engaged in illegal drug trade activities in Pasay City, Makati City and neighboring provinces of Rizal and Cavite.
The suspect yielded a total of 1,050 grams of shabu worth PHP7.1 million and one piece of genuine PHP1,000 bill incorporated with 12 bundles of boodle marked money equivalent to PHP1.2 million used in the transaction.
Also confiscated from the suspect were 10 pieces of transparent tie-knot plastic containing 100 grams of shabu for each plastic, and a piece of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing more or less 50 grams of shabu.
Eleazar said that the drugs were packed in a tea bag.
The drug deal transpired after the suspect received the marked money from the undercover agent of Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in exchange for one kilogram of shabu.
The deal was supposed to happen at a gasoline station in Pasay City but the suspect changed the venue and finally set the transaction at the hotel where the buy-bust was conducted.
The suspect will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
