ANGELES CITY – A suspected trafficker of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) was arrested by anti-narcotics operatives during a buy bust operation at Barangay Sto. Rosario here on Tuesday leading to the seizure of 50 grams of the prohibited substance.
The shabu has a street value of P200,000, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said.
PDEA3 regional director Juvenal Azurin identified the suspect as Joey A. Avilar, Jr., 28, of Bgy. Pulung Bulu, Angeles City. Avilar is included in the list of top illegal drugs personality operating in the city’s entertainment district.
The suspect did not resist arrest, said Azurin.
PDEA reports have it that Avilar is one among the biggest supplier of “mets” in the city and was placed under tight watch following his alleged involvement in illegal drugs trade.
Avilar also runs his operations in nearby City of San Fernando, it was gathered.
Late last year, at least three clandestine shabu laboratories situated in separate posh subdivisions here were dismantled by PDEA and local police where volumes of shabu precursors, liquid shabu and other chemicals had been confiscated. The shabu laboratories were dismantled in Villa Dolores, Barangay Sto. Domingo; Timog Park, in Barangay Pampanga; and Hensonville in Barangay Malabanias, all in Angeles City.
“We had been monitoring the suspect’s illegal activity since January 2017 and luckily we were able to pin him down after agents of PDEA were able to negotiate with him for a purchase of 50 grams of shabu”, Azurin said.
Aside from illegal drugs, Azurin said the operatives also took into their custody a blue motorcycle obviously used by the suspect in his unlawful trade.
The suspect is now detained in PDEA Jail Facility in Camp Olivas, as violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act is being readied against him. – With Froilan E. Magtoto