Police, anti-drug agents bust P14 million operation in QC
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confiscated around P14 million worth of illegal drugs in a buy-bust operation in Quezon City Monday morning.
Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO director, said in a report arrested was Evette Magallanes Tividad, an accounting graduate, in a joint buy-bust operation inside Room No. 2516, Studio A Condominium, Xavierville Ave, corner Esteban Abada, Brgy Loyola Heights in Quezon City.
Eleazar called Tividad a high-value target who belongs to a criminal gang engaged in drug trafficking in Metro Manila.
“Based on investigation, she also has connections with clubs that could order this,” he said.
She revealed the drugs were from other countries and she was transacting with foreigners through dark web, where she was paying via BitCoin. The drug items were being delivered to her condo unit by courier services or parcel, it added,
Operatives confiscated 3,500 pieces of ecstasy tablets weighing 2.5 kilos with street value of P 5.25 million; 2.5 kilos of kush or high grade marijuana with street value of P 3,750,000; 25 liters of liquid ecstasy with street value of P 5 million; and one genuine 1 thousand peso bill incorporated with 99,000 pcs of boodle marked money equivalent to P100,000 for 100 pcs of ecstacy tablets sold by the suspects to the undercover agent poseur buyer.
“She was placed under surveillance for a period of one month until finally arrested to stop her criminal activities,” said Eleazar.
According to the suspect, she was living alone in the condominium for almost six months. ''“I operate it alone. I just discovered this (business) because it’s known now,” Tividad told reporters.
Tividad did not deny owning the confiscated illegal drugs and admitted paying using BitCoin.
She said she negotiates with foreign nationals and sells illegal drugs for P1,000 per tablet.
Eleazar said there is a need to improve the security of the Bureau of Customs and the law enforcement agencies after finding out these drugs were being brought by a courier to the suspect.
Authorities will conduct an investigation to find out if one of her buyers were students.
Separate cases for violation of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2012 are being prepared for filing in the proper court against Tividad. Ella Dionisio/DMS
