Police arrested five individuals and seized more than P1.2 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation Thursday afternoon in Makati City.
Arrested were Larry Cavero, 57; Christopher Benigay, 41; Joseph Romuel Peña, 35; Dante Dela Dingco, 63, and Mark Vispo, 39, all residents of Barangay Cembo, Makati City.
Metro Manila police director Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said operatives of the Makati City Police Station conducted the entrapment along Caimito Street in Barangay Cembo around 3:30 p.m.
Danao said one of the policemen acted as a poseur buyer who negotiated with the suspects and bought shabu worth P500.00.
“Upon consummation of the (illegal drug) transaction, the poseur buyer gave the pre-arranged signal and from then and there, the team immediately arrested the suspects,” said Danao.
Recovered evidence from the suspect were 11 plastic sachets containing 186 grams of shabu, a mobile phone, a pouch bag, a scissor, drug paraphernalia and the P500 bill used in the entrapment.
The authorities are now preparing for the filing of criminal charges against the suspects who are now detained at the Makati City police detention facility.
Danao said the suspects will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Direct Assault on a Person of Authority.
He commended the Makati City police in conducting the successful operations, which he said, for the benefit of Metro Manila residents.
“We will continue to conduct operations in Metro Manila to curb illegal drugs in our area. We will not stop acting on the complaint of our countrymen,” said Danao as he encouraged the community to report criminal activity to police stations.