LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Narcotics operatives seized over a ton of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, worth nearly P6.9 billion in a series of operations in Pangasinan last week.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said police personnel, together with the elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), nabbed two “high-value” drug suspects, a 40-year-old Chinese national and a 54-year-old Filipino, in an operation in Bugallon, Pangasinan on October 2.

The suspects yielded 125 kilograms of shabu valued at P850 million.

Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) information officer Capt. Aileen Catugas said the buy-bust operation headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, in coordination with police units and other law enforcement agencies, was conducted along Romulo Highway in Barangay Polong, Bugallon town.

The PDEA only identified the suspects as both high-value pushers: a 40-year-old Chinese national residing in Paliparan 3, Cavite City, and a 54-year-old Filipino resident of Mampang, Zamboanga City.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are readied against the suspects.

On October 3, the PNP and PDEA conducted a follow-up operation by virtue of a search warrant issued by Burgos, Pangasinan Regional Trial Court, at a  residential house in Barangay Laois, in Labrador, Pangasinan, where authorities recovered approximately 895 kilograms of shabu worth P6.1 billion.

PNP acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. personally inspected the drug haul along with PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez in Pangasinan.

“I would like to congratulate the PNP agents who participated, as well as the PDEA agents that led to the confiscation of huge volume illegal drugs. I thank our partners in the PDEA for the success of this drug operation. I assure our kababayans that those behind these illegal drugs, both small-time dealers and big syndicates, will be jailed,” Nartatez said.

“This is in line with what the instruction of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. na mawala totally itong illegal drugs sa ating bansa in a very peaceful manner,” he added.

Nartatez also assured Nerez of the PNP’s continuous commitment against illegal drugs through strong partnership and good working relationship with all the law enforcement agencies.

A joint investigation team, which will include the Ilocos Police Regional Office and Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, will try to find out the sources of the illegal drugs and why they chose Pangasinan. 

“The task of the joint investigation team of PNP and PDEA is to find out the connection. We will form a joint investigation team to trace where it came from and who are their local contacts here,” Nerez said.

“Why here in Pangasinan? That’s what we want to know.”

Previous discovery of floating shabu in western Pangasinan and Zambales coasts had different packaging, Nerez noted.

They also believe that the largest target market would always be Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, the Pangasinan PPO appealed to the public for their vigilance and cooperation in the campaign against illegal drugs.

“We are encouraging every citizen to support by providing the right information to the authorities. Your cooperation is a vital tool in completely ending the effects of illegal drugs,” Pangasinan PPO said