TWO alleged drug importers were nabbed and 58.93 kilos of suspected shabu worth P400.72 million were seized at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Monday, police reported yesterday.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency identified the suspects as Melanio Lopez, alias Edward Fajardo, 37; and Steve Caro, 27, residents of Sta Mesa, Manila.
They were arrested shortly after claiming a package consisting of five boxes from Guinea that arrived last Friday.
The shipment was sent by one Diallo Sandally of Sofinia Commune De Ratoma, Conarky, Guinea and consigned to “Edward Fajardo,” PDEA said.
Last Monday, the boxes were found to be containing shabu.
At around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Lopez and Caro went to the Pairpaggs Center at the NAIA complex to claim the package and were nabbed by operatives from the NAIA-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task (NAIA-IADITG) force.
The NAIA-IADITG is composed of government agencies, including PDEA and the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).
“The confiscated illegal drugs have an estimated standard drug price amounting to P400,724,000,” PDEG said.
Lopez and Caro will face a case for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, specifically Section 4 (importation of dangerous drugs).
Police seized P108,800 worth of illegal drugs and arrested two persons during buy-bust operations in Pasig City on Monday night and yesterday before dawn.
Col. Celerino Sacro Jr., local police chief, identified the two as alias Michelle, 18, a resident of Barangay Manggahan, and alias Dodong, 28, of Barangay Pinagbuhatan.
Seized from them were several sachets containing more or less 16 grams of suspected shabu. — With Christian Oineza
