A NOTORIOUS leader of a criminal group was killed during a drug sting on Hipon Street in Barangay 12, Caloocan City, Tuesday night, police said.
Police identified the slain man as Romeo Carlos Jr., alias “Eman Taba,” 36, leader of Eman Carnapping, Gunrunning and Illegal Drugs Criminal Group, and a known notorious drug pusher in the area.
Carlos also supplied drugs in other areas in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela, investigators said.
Joint operatives of the Northern Police District (NPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, NPD Special Operations Unit, and Police Community Precinct-2 conducted the buy-bust operation at about 8 p.m.
According to a police report, a poseur-buyer transacted with the suspect.
However, the suspect sensed that he was dealing with an operative, prompting him to fire shots at the police.
The cops retaliated, killing him on the spot.
Police recovered from the crime scene a .38-caliber revolver, five sachets of suspected shabu weighing three grams and worth about P15,000, a spent shell, three .38-caliber ammunition, P19,000 marked money, and P1,000 in cash.
The pieces of evidence were brought to the NPD Crime Laboratory Office for laboratory examination. (Minka Tiangco)
