Police seize P1.36 B worth of shabu from big-time dealer

The Philippine National Police arrested a suspected big-time dealer of illegal drugs and his three accomplices Friday, after they were caught transporting six crates of shabu (methamphetamine) worth P1.36 billion.

 

Robert Tan, his son Oliver, and two others named Mark Jun San Gabriel and Felino Lopez were on board a Mitsubishi Adventure when flagged down by the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force along Pacific Avenue in Brgy. Don Galo, Parañaque City, a report on "24 Oras" aired Friday evening said.

 

Upon inspection, authorities found six wooden crates containing sacks of shabu weighing a total of 272 kilos. Each sack weighs 26 to 28 kilos and is worth P5 million, police said.

 

According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Arturo Cacdac, they suspect Tan is a big-time wholesaler and a member of a bigger drug syndicate.

"Kapag ganyan na karami yung ipinagkatiwala sa'yo, you should be a wholesaler," he said.

 

"May pagdadalhan sila tapos irerepack nila into one-kilo packs, kasi yun po naman ang practice ng mga Chinese drug groups... Tapos ibebenta na ho nila sa mga suki nilang bumibili sa kanila...paliit nang paliit hanggang sa umbot sa mga street-level pushers, yun na yung mga nagbebenta sa kalsada," Cacdac elaborated.
 

Tan meanwhile said that he did not know they were carrying illegal drugs as someone, whom he does not know personally, just requested him to bring the crates to Cavite.

 

"Walang sinasabi na shabu, kaya nagulat nga ako e. Hindi ko alam ang laman nyan...Sabi kunin ko lang daw dahil wala silang sasakyan at dalhin ko sa Cavite," he said.

 

Cacdac meanwhile said PDEA has been monitoring Tan's group for the past two months and that an informant told them about the group's shipment today.

He said the illegal drugs seized from Tan's group could be part of a larger drug shipment from abroad.

He said Tan's group probably had accomplices who traveled with Tan's vehicle in a convoy but managed to escape. — Elizabeth Marcelo/JDS, GMA News