P6M MJ seized in Taguig sting
A BUY-BUST operation in Taguig City early morning Saturday resulted in the arrest of a farmer from Benguet after he sold some P6 million worth of dried marijuana leaves to an undercover officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), PDEA chair Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva said.
Arrested during the sting along C-6 Service Road in Bgy. New Lower Bicutan was Fredo Diwan alias “Waliw,” a native of Kapangan, Benguet. A second suspect identified as Agosto Antonio alias “Darrel” managed to escape arrest and is still being hunted as of press time, said the official.
Villanueva said members of the PDEA National Capital Region Office under Director Christian Frivaldo and the Southern Police District headed by Brigadier Gen. Jimili L. Macaraeg conducted the entrapment operation following a tip from an informant regarding the presence of the two marijuana traffickers in Metro Manila.
“We have received information that the suspects are engaged in the bulk distribution of marijuana in the southern part of Metro Manila and nearby provinces,” he said.
Recovered during the operation were some 50 kilograms of cannabis leaves in tubular form, all wrapped in packaging tape and the marked money paid by the poseur to the suspects.
A Mitsubishi Delica used by the suspects to transport the drugs was impounded by the PDEA.
The arrested suspect will be facing a non-bailable case for transportation and sale of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, said Villanueva.