BY JONATHAN HICAP
Police seized Wednesday some P20.4 million worth of suspected shabu and P50,040 worth of marijuana leaves in a buy-bust operation in Taguig City.
Twelve men were arrested by police during the operation conducted at about 5:30 p.m. on P. Mariano Street in Barangay Ususan, Taguig by members of the Taguig City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit led by Police Capt. Salvador Camacho, according to police report.
The operation was supervised by Police Col. Celso Rodriguez and coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Seized in the operation were 30 pieces of plastic bags containing shabu weighing 3 kilos and 27 sachets of dried marijuana leaves suspected to be kush, a cannabis variety, weighing 41.7 grams.
The total estimated price for the drug haul is P20.45 million.
The police also seized three digital weighing scales, two cell phones, an ecobag and cash.
Taguig police identified the suspects as Patrick Ace Tiñga, 24; Tom Jovy Cruz, 30; Charles, 17; Juan, 17; Elmer Bautista, 34; Winston Ray Lopez, 20; Jessie Aviles, 24; Jomari Lopez, 19; Chris Klein Lopena, 19; Adrian Dela Cruz, 22; John Paul Esteban, 26; and John Christian Roxas, 34, all residents of Barangay Ususan.
They are facing charges for possession of dangerous drugs under Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The suspects are now detained at the Taguig Station Custodial Facility while the suspected shabu was sent to the Southern Police District Crime Laboratory for chemical analysis.
SPD director Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Peralta lauded the Taguig police for the operation.
