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MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Law enforcement and anti-narcotics authorities on Monday seized an estimated P20.4 million worth of shabu听 (crystal meth) from three individuals in Catbalogan City, Samar, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported on Tuesday.
According to the PDEA report, the suspects, identified only as 鈥淣oel,鈥� 鈥淧aul,鈥� and 鈥淢att,鈥� were arrested with three kilograms of shabu and several drug-using paraphernalia in an operation on Jan. 27 at 4:40 p.m. in Barangay Mahayag.听听
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The arrest stemmed from a Samar highway patrol checkpoint operation, which initially flagged the suspects for not wearing a seatbelt and using an improvised license plate.
This was according to Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP HPG) Spokesperson Lt. Dhame Malang in an interview with reporters at Camp Crame on Tuesday.
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鈥淢ayroong isang passenger na nagtatago ng isang sachet doon sa kanyang bag鈥� 鈥榊un (referring to the traffic violations) na naging susi para malaman ng ating mga tropa itong tatlong kilo ng hinihinalang shabu,鈥� Malang explained.
(One passenger tried to conceal one sachet in his bag which led to the discovery of the drugs.)
The three suspects are currently under the custody of the Catbalogan City Police Station, the HPG spokesperson said.
The PDEA added that the suspects face a formal complaint for violating the Dangerous Drugs Act.听听