P1M worth of 'party drugs' seized in Mandaluyong buy-bust op

Some P1 million worth of "party drugs" were seized Thursday night by government anti-drug agents from two suspected pushers during a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City, a report on "24 Oras" said Friday.

In her report, GMA News' Susan Enriquez said the colorful tablets seized were known among users as Punisher, Pacman, Ying-Yang,  UPS and Tesla. All were believed to have come from Europe.

"Kung may brand name siya mas madali yung recall, mas madaling umorder," said Dr. Wilkins Villanueva, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency - National Capital Region (PDEA-NCR). "So hindi mo na kailangan i-describe yung kulay dahil meron na siyang brand." 

Director Belen Banog of PDEA Laboratory Service said the tablets were "uppers" which, taken in excess, could cause serious health complications, including death.

The report said authorities also seized shabu, Valium, ecstacy, cocaine, marijuana and "fly high drugs," which is a combination of shabu, ecstacy and Viagra.

"Sometimes yung mga drugs may medication, but ino-overdose natin like for example one tablet lang in a day gagawin mong two tablets. So na-overdose ka na 'nun. Ang tendency mamatay ka," Banog said.

PDEA has blamed the "fly high drugs" for the deaths of five attendees of a concert in in Pasay City in May.

Villanueva said the seized drugs were ordered online and paid through bitcoin.

"Dini-deliver ito through mail and parcel service," he said.

The report said the buy-bust operation was conducted after a month of surveillance on the suspects identified as Ronald Fonda and Gervy Lee.

The two are said to be the major distributors of party drugs in Makati, Taguig and Quezon cities.

The report said in the one month of surveillance, over 30 people visited the two in their condominium in Mandaluyong City.

The two denied involvement in the drug trade and instead pointed to a certain "Carl."

"Tagabukas lang po ako ng pinto, tagalinis lang ng bahay na iyon," Fonda said. —KBK, GMA News