PDEA seizes 'cocaine,' 'ecstasy' worth more than P5M from Taguig hotel

Suspected ecstasy and cocaine were confiscated by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents early Saturday morning, according to a report by Super Radyo's dzBB Olan Bola.

Mga hinihinalang ecstacy at cocaine nasamsam ng PDEA sa isang safety deposit box sa isang kilalang hotel sa BGC, Taguig City @dzbb pic.twitter.com/TYiShj6PQF

— olanbola (@olanbola) 14 June 2019

The items were found inside a safety deposit box in a popular hotel at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

The suspected drugs were worth more than P5 million and were found in the safety deposit box rented by alleged drug pusher Domingo Uy Jr. in the hotel he was staying in for almost six months, according to a report by Vonne Aquino in GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Saturday.

Uy was arrested in May after two housekeepers in the BGC hotel he was staying in found illegal drugs in the unit he was renting. Some P8.5 million worth of party drugs were seized from the open vault in the said unit at that time.

Plaza said that further investigation revealed that Uy rented a safety deposit box in the hotel.

"'Yung warrant ay na-issue para doon sa mga in-avail na services ni Domingo Uy dito sa hotel, so we learned na meron siyang safety deposit box kaya in-applyan natin ng warrant," said Joel Plaza, director of PDEA-National Capital Region.

Recovered from the safety deposit box were around 2,740 pieces of suspected ecstasy tablets, 200 grams of suspected cocaine, and 14 vials of suspected liquid kush.

The suspected ecstasy was estimated to be worth P4.6 million. The alleged cocaine, meanwhile, was estimated to be worth P1 million, while the suspected liquid kush may be worth P84,000.

Plaza said Uy is a main supplier of illegal drugs in BGC using beauty products as cover.

"Siya ay isang main supplier dito sa BGC. And then accordingly, sa investigation natin, meron silang cover na business na mga beauty products. So 'yun 'yung cover nila, pero actually nagbebenta sila ng illegal drugs," he said.

Plaza added that Uy's clients are usually party-goers at bars in BGC.

Uy reportedly also does his transactions outside the hotel.

Due to the big haul of illegal drugs from the safety deposit box, it is possible that the selling of illegal drugs may slow down in the area, Plaza said.

"Tendency niyan, mag-die down for a while. So kung hindi namin ma-address 'yung distribution post, probably babalik din. Kaya dapat paigtingin namin 'yung anti-drug operations," he said.

PDEA is continuing its advocacy campaign to help hotels and condominium management spot suspicious actions of suspected drug traffickers.

Uy will face new charges of violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Authorities are still continuing their follow-up operation to arrest Uy's suspected accomplices. —BAP/KG, GMA News