14 caught in Metro Manila drug stings

MANILA, Philippines — At least 14 persons were arrested and more than P1.2 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu seized in separate stings in Metro Manila in the past two days.

Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director, said the first operation resulted in the arrest of Ahmad Noah, 40, and seizure of 100 grams of shabu valued at P680,000.

Noah was apprehended at a shopping mall in Barangay Batasan at around 2 p.m. yesterday.

Noah’s arrest was an offshoot of an operation by QCPD operatives in Ermita, Manila on Tuesday. 

Roberto Medina, 34, and Dexter Osit, 34, identified Noah as their source of drugs after they were caught with 65 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P442,000.

In Barangay Novaliches Proper, also in Quezon City, Michael Meneses, 38; Marineil Santos, 35; Angel Retiro, 18, and Von Edgar Barrientos, 27, were nabbed in a sting at around 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

The suspects yielded 15 grams of shabu valued at P102,000 and a .38 caliber revolver.

In Marikina City, Grazil Fran, 23, and Hernand Ramos, 30, were arrested and P102,000 worth of shabu seized in a sting in Barangay Tumana at around 10:50 p.m. Tuesday.

In Caloocan, four sachets of shabu worth P136,000 and a loaded .22 caliber revolver were confiscated from Christopher Cristobal and Percy Alvarez during a sting in Barangay 178 on Tuesday night.

A 17-year-old Grade 12 student was arrested in sting in Barangay Marcelo Green, Parañaque City yesterday morning. Police confiscated 26 grams of kush, a strain of high-grade marijuana, valued at P31,200 from the student.

Four more persons were arrested in separate stings in Muntinlupa City.