With Dennis Abrina

THREE Nigerian nationals, including an alleged evangelist pastor, accused of involvement in big-time drug trafficking activities on Friday night were arrested by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in separate buy-bust operations in Bacoor City, Cavite which also led to the seizure of nearly P11.336 million worth of shabu and ecstasy tablets.

The Western Africans were identified as alias ‘Ik,’ a 30-year-old student; one “Stanley,” 34, said to be an evangelist pastor; and an alias “Kenneth,”23, a jobless man, all residents of Bacoor City.

A report from the PDEA chaired by Director General Isagani R. Nerez said that the first two suspects were arrested by undercover officers from the Regional Office 4-A and Cavite Provincial Office in a buy-bust operation in front of a pharmacy in Bgy. Molino III around 8:40 p.m. Friday.

Recovered from the suspects were some 800 pieces of suspected ecstasy tablets worth P1.360 million; a heat-sealed plastic packet containing an estimated 50 grams of shabu valued at P340,000 and the buy-bust money topped by a marked bill.

The third suspect was arrested nearly three hours later in a follow-up operation in Magdiwang Road in Bgy; Molino II

Confiscated from the suspect were eight plastic bags containing 4,753 pieces of pink, blue, purple, brown, gray and orange tablets believed to be the designer drug called ecstasy, a plastic packet containing some 230 grams of shabu valued at P1.565 million and several bags containing suspected powdered ecstasy.

The value of drugs confiscated from the third suspect was placed at around P9.636 million.

The arrested trio will be facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon