At least 30 individuals hoarding and selling overpriced medical supplies, particularly alcohol, sanitizers, and face masks, were arrested by authorities in separate operations across the country.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, along with agents from the Department of Trade and Industry, seized P4.2 million worth of alcohol, hand sanitizers and face masks from the suspects.
The first batch of suspects were identified as Ernel Vincent Estilo, Nelgielyn Indong, Girlie Bonifacio, Charles Cabulao, Rosalito Manalo, Juan Fidel Talag, Jane Aguilar, and Christian Alfred Gonzales, all cornered by the CIDG-DTI team during entrapment operations in Tondo, Manila.
The suspects were selling face masks at P2,500 per box. They also had boxes of face mask worth P620,000.
In Ilagan City, Isabela, businessman Michael Bravo was nabbed in front of North Star Mall in Brgy Alibagu for selling overpriced alcohol and face masks. Authorities seized from his possession 20 bottles of hand sanitizers, 31 bottles of ethyl alcohol (500ml) and 38 pieces of masks.
In Central Luzon, CIDG-DTI operatives arrested Jimmel Angelo Jimenez, Mark Kevin de Guzman and Jennifer Coronel in three separate areas in Olongapo, Tarlac and Bataan, respectively, for selling overpriced alcohol.
In Nueva Ecija, police rounded up four alleged gang members – as Bener Navarrete, Jonathan Segura, Edgardo Corpuz and Johnray Segura – for hoarding, profiteering, selling and refilling of isopropyl alcohol in Cabanatuan City.
In Mindanao, CIDG operatives arrested three persons engaged in illegal trading of medical supplies—hand sanitizer, and alcohol. They were identified as Gretchen Caare, Rhocile Lee Romblon Fournier and Marcelino Yu.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation raided a number of stores selling overpriced medical supplies in Manila and Rizal over the weekend.
NBI Director Eric Distor, who led the operation in Sta. Cruz, Manila, said the operation resulted in the seizure of 1,360 pieces of thermal scanners and 7,680 pieces of face masks worth more than P10 million.
Distor said the operation stemmed from an information that the store was selling thermal scanners for P8,000 per piece or eight times higher than its normal price of P1,000.
Distor added that the store had a signage at its front door “OUT OF STOCK THERMAL SCANNER” and “OUT OF STOCK ANY KIND OF MASK”.