Cops nab Chinese trader selling overpriced alcohol

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested a Chinese businessman caught selling overpriced alcohol in Quezon City last Sunday.

Huan Shing Chan was apprehended during an entrapment operation by agents of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at around 5:15 p.m. along Kitanglad Street in Barangay Dona Josefa in Quezon City.

CIDG director Maj. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel said Huan allegedly sold alcohol at P175 per liter despite the government’s standard retail price of alcohol at P125 to P130 per liter.

The police confiscated 350 bottles of alcohol worth P61,250 from Huan.

In Manila, a man was arrested for selling overpriced face masks also last Sunday.

Coronel identified the suspect as Willy Sy, who was caught along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Tondo at around 3 p.m.

The information stemmed from complaints received by the CIDG that Sy had been hoarding face masks and reselling these consumers at P50 a piece, way above the standard retail price of P28.

The suspect yielded 30 boxes of face masks worth P1.6 million.

Police operatives also arrested Filipino inventor Ismael Aviso and his son Ismael Jr. for selling fake medicines for COVID-19 in Navotas City on Sunday.

Agents of the police Anti-Cybecrime Group (ACG) nabbed the Avisos at around 3:30 p.m at Barangay Northbay Boulevard South after the suspects received P7,500 cash from an undercover agent for a box of the alleged medicine to cure COVID-19 patients.

ACG director Brig.Gen. Dennis Agustin said the operation against the Avisos stemmed from a report that the suspects were peddling on social media platforms medicines that supposedly cure COVID-19.

“Investigation revealed that the so-called ‘anti-COVID-19 medicines’ were improvised by the older Aviso who is known for inventing the Motionless Electric Generator in 2011,” Agustin said in a statement.

Investigators later found out that the Food and Drug Administration has issued two public health warnings against Aviso for his products being falsely advertised to cure other diseases such as dengue.

Meanwhile, the Manila police summoned a Chinese businessman yesterday morning after police raided his warehouse in Tondo, Manila and seized alleged fake alcohol as the government launched a crackdown on hoarders and suppliers of fake healthcare products amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Operatives of the Manila Police District-Raxabago Station, acting on the complaint of Barangay Zone 11 officials, invited Robert Tiu Teng after they were able to purchase alcohol during an entrapment operation at the warehouse located along Dayao Street around 10:30 a.m.

Police immediately cordoned the establishment and discovered three drums and 65 boxes of the unbranded alcohol.

During questioning, Teng failed to present his business permit and other pertinent papers. – With Rey Galupo, Romina Cabrera, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ric Sapnu