Authorities nab Japanese drug suspect in Malate, Manila raid

Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested a Japanese national allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade late Friday.

The suspect identified as Takahiro Yano, who has been under surveillance, was nabbed in a raid at the CityState Tower Hotel in Malate, Manila, a GMA News report said.

Authorities recovered at least 10 sachets of suspected shabu inside a sunglasses case and one sachet inside a canister of sex enhancer pills.

According to the NBI-SAU and the PDEA, Yano did not resist arrest. The operatives also said they brought an interpreter to serve the search warrant to the Japanese national.

Apart from the illegal drug trade, the suspect may also be involved in human trafficking because he was allegedly matching some Filipinas with other Japanese men for marriage. Various passports were also recovered from the Japanese national. — John Ted Cordero/MDM, GMA News