CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – A Nigerian believed to be a member of West African Drug Syndicate operating in Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Central Luzon was arrested by joint elements of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 3 (PDEA RO-3) and PDEA-National Capital Region (PDEA-NCR) in a buy-bust operation Tuesday in Marikina City.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 3, Director Emerson Margate identified the suspect as 33-year-old Ejiye Okoye alias Martin and presently residing in Marikina City.
Margate said Okoye had been residing in the country for two years and was also engaged in football coaching in the country to camouflage his illegal activities.
“PDEA-3 agents were able to secure a drug deal from Okoye for a purchase of 300 grams of shabu for P360,000 and agreed to meet inside a resto bar in Marikina City where he was collared by our operatives”, Margate added.
Confiscated from the Nigerian were six medium-sized re-sealable transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu with a street value of R1,050,000 together with the marked money used in the anti-drug operation inside a resto bar.
The suspect was brought to the PDEA jail facilities in Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga for further investigation.
A charge for violation of Section 5 (selling of dangerous drugs), Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Act is being readied against Okoye.
Meantime, two inmates of the Pampanga Provincial Jail were arrested for possession of shabu and drug paraphernalia during an anti-illegal drugs operation Tuesday.
Jail warden and retired Police Supt. Edwin Mangiliman identified the suspects as Ericson Panoy Tungab, 36 years old of Brgy. San Jose in San Fernando and Michael Torres, 34, married and a resident of Candaba, town.
The operatives led by Jail Senior Officer 1 Alain P. De Leon and PO3 Ferdinand P. Hernandez confiscated four used sachets of suspected shabu, an improvised tooter, one lighter, and other drug paraphernalia.
Tungab and Torres will be facing charges of possession of illegal drugs and paraphernalia. (FRANCO G. REGALA)