OVER P135 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) were seized and three drug suspects were arrested during separate drug busts in Las Piñas and Parañaque cities on Tuesday afternoon, June 15, 2021, the Southern Police District said.
Brigadier General Jimili Macaraeg, SPD director, said Wednesday, June 16, that they arrested Moses Joshua Esguerra, 23, during an operation conducted by joint operatives of Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Barangay Talon Dos in Las Piñas City.
Recovered during the operation were around 18 kilograms of shabu with an estimated street value of P122.4 million.
Less than two hours earlier, PDEA also arrested January Berroya, 40, and Rolando Sanchez, 57, during a drug bust in the open parking lot of a mall in Sucat, Parañaque City.
Seized from the two suspects were around two kilograms of shabu worth P13.6 million.
They will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The packaging used for the illegal drugs recovered from the three suspects is similar to those used for the over P1 billion shabu recovered during two separate operations in Parañaque City and Imus in Cavite on Sunday, June 13.
Two Chinese nationals were arrested in these operations.
The PNP and PDEA have yet to comment on the possible connection among the arrested suspects. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)