MANILA -- Authorities seized 30 kilos of suspected shabu and arrested a high-value target during a police operation in Pasig City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Tuesday.
NCRPO chief, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, identified the suspect as Manolito Lugo Carlos, who was arrested in his condominium unit in Barangay Rosario, Pasig City around 7:40 p.m. Monday.
The operation was conducted by virtue of a search warrant issued by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152.
Police officers seized 30 pieces of big heat-sealed plastic pack of Chinese tea containing shabu weighing more or less one kilo each with a street value of PHP204 million; assorted drug paraphernalia; and different bank deposit slips indicating therein the alleged amount of remittances as payment for the illegal drugs.
Eleazar said the suspect is a high-profile drug personality and was among the major targets of NCRPO under a case operational plan.
“He is a main player of a syndicated organized gang engaged in the illegal drug trafficking operating in Metro Manila, Region 3 and Calabarzon. The suspect is connected to drug personalities convicted and now serving sentence at the New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City. As the right hand of a convicted drug lord, he is in charge of the storage and distribution of illegal drugs,” Eleazar said.
Carlos was arrested by the Mandaluyong police in 2000 for illegal drugs but was acquitted by the court and later continued his illegal activities.
The suspects were detained while waiting for the filing of charges in violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.
Eleazar said that Carlos is also connected to the neutralized suspect during a buy-bust operation in Quezon City on Sunday.
They are allegedly contacts or distributors of illegal drugs being utilized by convicted drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
"This is proof that although the drug lords are already detained, they are able to operate and push transactions by giving instructions to their henchmen outside the jail," he said.
The arrested suspect and recovered pieces of evidence were brought to RDEU office and will be subjected for technical examination before the PNP Crime Laboratory Office.
The suspects now face charges for violation of Section 5 and 11 of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition). (PNA)
