The authorities found drugs and firearms in a parked vehicle in Manila.
DRUGS – Arvin Zapanta and Edris Macalabo were nabbed by the authorities after 19.831 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, worth P120 million, and 25 firearms were found in their car.
Based on a recent news report in Inquirer, the National Bureau of Investigation expressed that a tip has reached them on the 29th day of March.
The tipster claimed that drugs and firearms would be transported by a drug syndicate spearheaded by a man which was only identified as “Boy Muslim” from Manila to Mindanao.
It is stated in the news report that the tipster also claimed a Toyota Corolla vehicle would be utilized by the members and the said car has a plate number WDJ 567.
According to the NBI, together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), they conducted an operation. It said that it is primarily in Manila City and nearby Cavite provinces where the drug syndicates operate and transports the weapons and drugs to Mindanao.
Surveillance has been conducted by the authorities since the 30th day of March and on the 1st day of April, the agents of the NBI found the vehicle on Road 10, near the Manila North Harbor in Tondo, Manila.
Based on the report, later on, two men on a motorcycle approached the car and took the key which was kept in the muffler. The agents approached the suspects, Macalabo and Zapanta, when they were already inside the vehicle.
The NBI expressed that the two men were asked by the authorities to get out from their vehicle and “they were informed that a dog would be checking” it for drugs.
According to the report, the NBI added that a reaction to the existence of drugs in the car was displayed by the police dog. It provided the agents the reason to search the car.
On Monday, Macalabo and Zapanta were presented by the NBI to the media.
