To curb the spread of illegal drugs during the holiday break, police arrested three alleged major drug traffickers in separate buy-bust operations in Quezon province Thursday and Friday.
The twin operations yielded over P17.9 million worth of ‘shabu’ (crystal meth) and an unlicensed firearm, according to Colonel Romulo Albacea, Quezon police chief.
On Thursday afternoon, operatives of the Quezon Police Drug Enforcement Unit nabbed a 27-year-old woman known as ‘Rica’ at 3:09 p.m. after she sold P5,000 worth of shabu to an undercover agent in Barangay Cotta, this city.
Recovered from the suspect were 36 plastic sachets containing about 875 grams of suspected shabu.
Based on the Dangerous Drugs Board’s standard valuation of P6,800 per gram, the haul was initially pegged at P5.95 million. However, authorities said its street value could reach as high as P17.85 million at P20,400 per gram.
‘The illegal drugs were meant for distribution in Lucena City and nearby towns during the All Souls’ Day observance,’ Albacea told journalists, noting that syndicates often take advantage of the influx of vacationers during the holidays.
Rica, a resident of the same barangay, is listed as a high-value individual (HVI) on the police drug watchlist-a classification reserved for major financiers, traffickers, and syndicate members.
In a separate operation at 4:45 a.m. Friday, police in Infanta town arrested two suspects identified as ‘Rolando’ and ‘Jojo’ during a sting conducted inside a public cemetery.
Authorities seized from them five sachets of suspected shabu weighing 35.7 grams, with a street value of about P728,280, along with a Magnum .357 Smith and Wesson revolver loaded with three bullets and lacking proper documentation.
A motorcycle allegedly used in their illegal trade was also confiscated.
Police identified Rolando as an HVI, while Jojo is categorized as a street-level pusher.
Investigators are tracing the source of the illegal drugs peddled by the three suspects.
All suspects are detained and face charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Rolando and Jojo will also be charged with illegal possession of firearms