CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), confiscated 120 kilos of suspected shabu valued at P816 million in a seaport interdiction operation at the Port of Calapan, here on Friday morning (March 21).
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R. Nerez said the shabu haul was confiscated from the suspect identified as alias “Cris”, 43 years old, a male truck driver and resident of Oton, Iloilo.
Also seized during the seaport interdiction operation are one Toyota Camry, one mobile phone and the commercial transport documents of the suspect.
Alias “Cris” will be facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Transportation of Illegal Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Sensing that he will be arrested, the 43-year-old driver of the car ran away. He was apprehended outside the port and interrogated.
The suspect said that he was just ordered by the unidentified owner to drive the car from Batangas and bring it to Iloilo via Mindoro.
Police discovered the contraband neatly packed in plastic containers bearing Chinese characters.
Police Brig. Gen. Roger L. Quesada, Police Regional Office-Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) chief, said the operation is the biggest so far this year in Mindoro.
The PDEA attributed the successful operation to their close collaboration with the PCG, PNP Maritime Group 4-B, National Bureau of Investigation, Police Drug Enforcement Group, Police Highway Patrol Group, and Calapan City Police Station.
“The operation is the first major seizure of illegal drugs in Oriental Mindoro. Beside the country’s airports and parcel system, we also need to protect our seaports from becoming transit and dropping points for large volumes of illegal drugs,” Undersecretary Nerez said.
“Another high-impact operation that saved countless lives. This is going to be a regular part of PDEA life,” Nerez expressed. (UnliNews Online)
Photos: PDEA MIMAROPA
