A 24-year-old alleged drug trader and his 11 accomplices, a few of whom were teenagers, were arrested yesterday during a drug bust in Taguig City.
Suspect Patrick Ace Tiñga was arrested from his own home, where Taguig cops allegedly found three kilos of suspected methamphetamine worth PHP20.4 million (US$422,285) and almost 42 grams of suspected marijuana worth PHP50,000 (US$1,035).
Authorities also seized three digital weighing scales, two cell phones, a bag, and cash.
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Arrested with him were his alleged accomplices Tom Jovy Cruz, 30; a certain Charles, 17; a teenager named Juan, 17; Elmer Bautista, 34; Winston Ray Lopez, 20; Jessie Aviles, 24; Jomari Lopez, 19; Chris Klein Lopena, 19; Adrian Dela Cruz, 22; John Paul Esteban, 26; and John Christian Roxas, 34. Four of the suspects are still students, and the police allegedly caught all of them ingesting drugs.
Some of the suspects were also allegedly planning to take the drugs to sell them to their customers.
Col. Celso Rodriguez, chief of the Taguig City police, told ABS-CBN News that Tiñga would often hire students and couriers to deliver the drugs to his customers, many of whom live in Pasig, Makati, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa.
All suspects are currently detained at the Taguig Station Custodial Facility, while the suspected methamphetamine is being analyzed at the Southern Police District Crime Laboratory. The suspects will be charged for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
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