Police seized some P400,000 worth of illegal drugs and unlicensed firearms from three alleged drug peddlers, including two ex-convicts, in a buy-bust operation in Novaliches, Quezon City, over the weekend.
Quezon City Police District Station 4 (Novaliches) commander Supt. Rossel Cejas identified the suspects as Conrado Gonzales, 52, a resident of Caloocan City; Bernard Bailey, 41, of Manila; and Arlene Puno, 43, of Pasig City.
A police report showed that a team from the QCPD Station 4 Station Drug Enforcement Unit conducted a buy-bust operation against Gonzales who has been tagged as the main drug supplier in the area.
An undercover police transacted with Gonzales and his companions in front of Sta. Monica Cockpit Arena on Sarmiento St. in Barangay Sta. Monica at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
Upon purchasing the illegal drug, responding officers collared the three suspects.
Authorities confiscated from the group six sachets of shabu weighing at least 60 grams with an estimated street value of P408,000, two ziplock pouches containing dried marijuana leaves, and some drug paraphernalia.
Also recovered by the operatives were a .45 caliber pistol, a magazine with six live bullets, a snub nose .38 caliber revolver with five live bullets, a white Honda Civic with license plates TPT-365, a mobile phone, and some cash.
Further investigation revealed that Gonzales had two previous illegal drug cases. He was convicted in 1994 and served his sentence for 12 years.
He was arrested again in Pasay City in 2012 for selling illegal drugs but later acquitted.
One of Gonzales’ companions, Bailey, was convicted with murder in 1997 and served his sentence. He was arrested again for illegal drugs and illegal possession of firearms but was also acquitted.
Puno, on the other hand, was included in the Pasay City drug watchlist.
The suspects are now under the custody of the Novaliches police station and will be charged with violation of the Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (Alexandria San Juan)
