Latest news with #Quilates
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Drugs worth 700mil pesos seized in Philippines; cops probing link to ‘floating' shabu
FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos (C, in white shirt) and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (2nd R) inspect seized methamphetamine drugs in Alitatag town in Batangas province on April 16, 2024. - AFP MANILA: Suspected shabu (crystal meth) with a street value of P700.4 million (US$12.4 million) was confiscated in Bulacan, Central Luzon, prompting authorities to investigate potential links to the illegal drugs recently recovered in waters off coastal provinces. Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP DEG) Director Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates announced this in a press conference at Camp Crame on Monday (June 30). According to the PNP DEG, 103 kilograms of shabu were seized in an operation on Saturday night along Bantique Street in Barangay Bulihan, Plaridel. 'When we opened the package, our investigators who were conducting the inventory said it was still wet. The bag was also wet. Then the packaging was wet. The tea bags had four layers of covering,' Quilates said. When asked if the shabu was linked to drugs recently recovered in the waters off Luzon, Quilates answered, 'We will look into that. We will connect it to the recoveries there in Subic recently. That's the disposition of our operatives and investigators.' According to the PNP DEG, a Chinese individual and a Filipino were arrested during the operation last Saturday. Police identified them as 'Lian,' 55, and 'Ry,' 40, respectively. 'He has a seafood store and a small restaurant. He has a common-law wife. They've been living [there] for more than ten years. He's been here a while,' Quilates said. 'We will check on his documents as to how he got here and his status of residency here in our country,' he added. Quilates said the Filipino suspect was merely the Chinese national's helper. The suspects were brought to the PNP DEG for documentation, while the seized drugs were turned over to the Forensic Group for laboratory examination. Quilates noted that the suspects will face charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
GMA Network
5 days ago
- GMA Network
P700M worth of shabu seized, 2 suspects arrested in Bulacan
A total of 103 kilograms of shabu worth P700.4 million were seized in Plaridel, Bulacan over the weekend, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday. 'Ang [PNP Drug Enforcement Group] natin last Saturday night ay may nahuli tayong 100 plus kilos na part ng ating [case operational plan] na nakuha natin sa Bulacan,' PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said at a press briefing. (Our PNP Drug Enforcement Group last Saturday night seized over 100 kilos of shabu as part of our case operational plan that we obtained in Bulacan.) PDEG chief Police Brigadier General Edwin Quilates said the National Capital Region Special Operations Unit (NCR SOU) had been working on the case. 'Matagal na na nilang sinusundan yung tao, yung movements niya from Region 3 to NCR until maka-connect yung Alpha nila so natuloy yung buy-bust operation last Saturday,' Quilates said. (They have been following the target person for a long time, his movements from Region 3 to NCR until their Alpha connected, so the buy-bust operation continued last Saturday.) Two suspects were arrested, identified as 40-year-old 'Ry' and 55-year-old Chinese national 'Lian,' who are both tagged as 'high-value individuals.' According to Quilates, Lian was using a seafood store, restaurant, and warehouse in Guiginto and Plaridel as a front for the illegal activity. Quialates said authorities are looking into the possibility that the shabu was transported through waters as the packages were wet. Recently, authorities have been recovering packages of shabu floating in Philippine waters. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
