P54.4 million shabu seized in Zamboanga stings

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Shabu with estimated street value of P54.4 million has been seized in separate anti-narcotics operations that also resulted in the arrest of three suspects in this city.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Friday night collared a drug suspect, identified only as Randy in Barangay Culianan.

The suspect tried to escape, but he was cornered by pursuing operatives who recovered from him five plastic packs each containing a kilo of shabu with an estimated street value of P34 million.

On the same day, PDEA agents arrested two drug suspects in Barangay Cabatangan and seized from them three kilos of shabu worth P20.4 million.

The PDEA identified the suspects as Abdelnasser Ahmad and Rudy Tahil who are reportedly included in the watchlist of the police.

The PDEA expressed belief that the illegal substance seized in separate stings came from the same source, noting the similar packaging of the illegal drugs.

The illegal substance was brought to the crime laboratory for examination while proper charges were being prepared against the suspects. — John Unson