P408 million worth of ‘shabu’ hidden in tea packs seized in Pampanga
Anti-drug operatives inspect the 60 kilos of suspected ‘shabu’ worth P408 million seized in a buy-bust operation at a gas station’s parking lot along North Luzon Expressway in Mexico, Pampanga on Wednesday, Sept. 14. (Photo courtesy of the Police Regional Office 3)
MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga – Various police units arrested two drug suspects and confiscated some P408 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) during a buy-bust operation in nearby Mexico town on Wednesday, September 14.
According to the initial report from the Philippine National Police — Drug Enforcement Group’s Special Operations Unit- National Capital Region (PNP-DEG-SOU-NCR), the arrested suspects were identified as Wenjie Chen, 45, and Sy Yan Qing, 42, both residents of Angeles City.
The sting operation was launched at a gasoline station and commercial area along the North Luzon Expressway in Mexico town at 1:45 p.m.
Undercover anti-drug operatives managed to buy five kilograms of suspected shabu contained in five vacuum-sealed plastic Chinese tea bags using five marked P1,000 bills atop play money.
Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibanez, officer-in-charge of the SOU-NCR, said the sold shabu was worth P34,000,000.
Article continues after this advertisementAfter arresting the two suspects, lawmen also allegedly seized 55 Chinese tea bags containing suspected shabu worth P374,000,000.
Article continues after this advertisementThe car used by the suspects was also impounded.
The SOU-NCR said the arrested persons are cohorts of “subjects” listed under Coplan Apocalypto “who are notorious in distributing volumes of illegal drugs in the areas of Metro Manila, Regions 3, and 4A.”
The suspects were brought to the SOU-NCR office at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City for documentation and proper disposition.
Central Luzon police acting director Brig. Gen. Cesar Pasiwen also issued a statement about the buy-bust operation, citing similar information from the SOU-NCR.
He, however, clarified that Chen is a resident of Gerona town in Tarlac while Sy resides in Angeles City.
