Five individuals were arrested after more than P1.2 million worth of shabu was seized from them in a buy-bust operation in Valenzuela City early Thursday morning.
Valenzuela Police chief Col. Salvador Destura Jr., identified the suspects as Richard Ching, 41, joyrider driver, Armando Garcia, 40, construction worker, Joey Campillano, 22, helper, Cerdy Diana, 27 and Romulo Echalas, 46.
Around 2:15 in the morning when operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) led by P/Lt. Doddie Aguirre conducted the buy bust operation at Ching’s house along Marton Road, Barangay Canumay East.
After seeing the pre-arranged signal from the police who acted as a poseur-buyer indicating that he had already bought illegal drugs from Ching and Garcia, the backup operatives immediately approached and arrested the suspects, including Campillano, Diana and Echalas who were also caught with suspected shabu.
Confiscated from the suspects were approximately 180 grams of shabu with a street value of P1,224,000, P500 marked money, P1,080 cash, cellphone and a hard pouch.
The five are now facing charges of Sections 5 or Selling and 11 or Possession of Dangerous Drugs under Art II of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.