P34m worth of shabu seized in Cavite: PDEA

January 25, 2018

More than P 34 milion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as shabu, weighing around 6.89 kilograms were seized during a controlled delivery operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Trece Martirez, Cavite on January 24, 2017.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the operation also resulted in the arrest two suspects who received the two packages containing the illegal drugs shipped from the United States.

Aquino said controlled delivery is an investigation technique of allowing an unlawful or suspect consignment of any dangerous drug and controlled precursors and essential chemicals , equipment or paraphernalia, or property believed to be derived directly or indirectly from any offense, to pass into, through or out of the country under the supervision of an authorized officer.

This is to gather evidence to identify any person involved in any dangerous drugs related offense, or to facilitate prosecution of that offense.

Aquino said at 2:40 pm on January 23, 2018, an email from  Steven Sampilo, assistant attaché of Homeland Security Investigations, Embassy of the United States in Manila, sent to Agent Mark Anthony Viray of International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Service regarding two packages which they suspect containing crystal methamphetamine, was the same with the packages they seized from the same shipper in Baldwik Park, California, with 36 pounds of methamphetamine. The packages are sequestered at a forwarding company based in Clark, Pampanga.

This was reported to NCR regional director Ismael Fajardo, Jr. who ordered the deputy commander to immediately coordinate with Central Luzon regional director Joseph Ladip, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Clark and Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF) for possible controlled delivery operation with the full cooperation of the cargo forwarder.

An initial documentation and taking of sample of the content of the packages were carried out that yielded positive for methamphetamine hydrochloride.

Aquino said they have reason to believe the drugs originated from the Sinaloa Cartel based in Mexico.

“There is a group there in the US involved,” said Aquino, without elaborating. Aquino said they are trying to find out where the drugs were to be distributed.

The two packages were turned over by BOC to PDEA for controlled delivery operation.

Joint elements of PDEA NCR and Central Luzon regions, Customs Clark and NAIA DITG proceeded to the target area located in Cabuco, Trece Martirez, Cavite to meet with the advance team from PDEA NCR which was sent earlier to conduct casing and surveillance of the area.

At about 6 pm of January 24, two suspects were arrested after receiving the two packages.  They were identified as Mauricia de Padua y Nadal, 36 years old, and Suriong Taib y Paidlac III, 37, both residents of Timalan, Concepcion, Naic, Cavite.

The two packages contained another three packages inside. Each package was wrapped with eight layers of aluminum foil in the outmost layer, a cling wrap, a carbon paper, sticky green substance, a vacuum sealed plastic bag and tissue paper in the innermost layer where the methamphetamine hydrochloride was placed.

The suspects and the seized illegal drug were brought to the PDEA national headquarters for investigation and disposition.

Aquino said the two packages were shipped by a certain Christian Lozano of 1708 Arlington Ave., Hacienda Heights, CA, USA, and Robert Gutierrez of 1001 Azalea Drive, Alhambra, CA, USA, and consigned to  Leonel Adriano Romero and Raymond Cruz, Miranda, both of 0026 Block 2, Block CH, Quintana, Cabuco, Trece Martirez, Cavite. DMS