MARIJUANA BRICKS. Police operatives examine 125 bricks and four tubular packs of marijuana worth PHP16 million seized in a drug buy-bust operation in Quezon, Isabela on Saturday night (March 6, 2021). Two drug dealers were also arrested. (Photo courtesy of PNP PIO)
MANILA – Joint police operatives have arrested two illegal drug traders and seized around PHP16 million worth of illegal drugs during a drug buy-bust operation in Isabela on Saturday evening.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold M. Sinas identified the suspects Anwar Sindatoc, 54, resident of Las Piñas City and Elson Cabunyag, 43, resident of Manila.
Both were arrested by the joint operatives of Regional Drug Enforcement Unit 2, Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit Isabela led by Col. James Cipriano, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 2, Isabela Police Provincial Office, Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit of Isabela, and Quezon Police Station at 10 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Abut, Quezon, Isabela.
“I commend our police and PDEA agents for a successful teamwork and cooperation which led to another positive operation against illegal drugs,” Sinas said in a statement on Sunday.
Citing reports from PRO-Cagayan valley director Brig. Gen Crizaldo Nieves, Sinas said the two drug suspects sold two bricks of marijuana worth PHP31,000 to police undercover operatives.
The two suspects tried to escape but they were intercepted by the authorities at the quarantine checkpoint of PNP Quezon and Isabela.
Authorities recovered from the suspects 125 bricks and four tubular packs of marijuana weighing 130 kilos worth PHP16 million; three grams of shabu worth PHP20,400, one .45 caliber pistol with seven live ammunition, M14 rifle live ammunition, various identification cards, two cellphones and boodle money.
The suspects were brought to PNP Crime Laboratory for drug testing while the pieces of evidence are now under the custody of PDEA Regional Office 2.
Criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulations Act are now being prepared against the two drug suspects.
Last Friday, the government law enforcement operatives also arrested the claimant of a package containing PHP13.6 million worth of shabu in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
The suspect was identified as Jayson Quijoy, 37, resident of 40 Pangasinan St., Bago Bantay, Quezon City and consignee of the package shipped by Glus SDN BHD of 18G Jalan SG 3/2 Taman SRI Gombak 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia.
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group earlier flagged the parcel declared as “steamboat with grill”.
The two steamboats contained 2,003 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with a street value worth PHP13.6 million. (PNA)
