COPLAN Blood Stone scores

P54M shabu, regulated drugs seized

PNP chief P/Gen. Debold Sinas said the suspects are members of big-time drug syndicates based in southern Metro Manila, composed mostly of recruits from Mindanao

Operatives of the Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) seized over P54 million worth of shabu from two suspected drug couriers in a drug sting held in Parañaque City, the police reported Sunday.

The drugs weighed eight kilos and were categorized as “high-grade,” PNP-DEG director P/Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee told reporters. Arrested were Marlon Bayan, 32, a native of Camarines Norte; and, Guimalodin Ebrahim, 27, a resident of Talitay town, Maguindanao.

The policemen also took hold of a black Ford Ranger (license plate NED-9942) as evidence since the two suspects used them in transacting with the poseur-buyer around 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“Our initial background revealed that the arrested persons were regular carriers of the shabu from Manila to Mindanao. We are now conducting follow-up operation on the source,” Lee said.

PNP chief P/Gen. Debold Sinas said the suspects are members of big-time drug syndicates based in southern Metro Manila, composed mostly of recruits from Mindanao.

Sinas hailed the “successful” operation as an initial salvo of Case Operation Plan (COPLAN) Blood Stone launched by DEG “to break the backbone of this major drug distribution network.”

Lee also revealed they have confiscated a total of 35,342 tablets of highly regulated drugs smuggled through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The drugs were intercepted by the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group inside a parcel that contained 26,170 tablets of diazepam (Valium) and 9,173 tablets of nitrazepam (Mogadon) worth P534,297.

The contraband items were turned over to the PNP- DEG on Friday. Diazepam and nitrazepam have addictive properties and characteristics. The items were imported into the country without the requisite permits from the Food and Drugs Administration and import permit from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

K-9 units and random parcel profiling at PAIRS-PAGS Center in Parañaque City led to the discovery of the regulated drugs shipped by “Muztaza and Brother” from Pakistan and consigned to International Medexchange Depot Inc.