MABALACAT CITY — A 38-year old Australian tourist and six other suspected illegal drug users were collared by government anti-narcotic agents following a raid at a drug den situated along South Daang Bakal here Thursday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said.PDEA-3 director Gil Pabilona identified the suspects as George Georgeff, temporary staying in one of the hotels in Angeles City and alleged regular customer of Roque Rosielda, alleged maintainer of drug den.
Other suspects were Arnold Padilla, 25; Emmanuel Gaddi, 39; Roland Geraldo, 29; Norman Rivera, 18; and Raddy Tabuso, all residents in this city.
Pabilona said joint operatives from PDEA-3 and Philippine Air Force raided the place after residents in the community tipped-off the presence of illegal drugs den being maintained by Rosielda.
Pabilona said Georgeff was caught in the act while about to buy stuff from Rosielda. Rosielda and his cohorts are known to be notorious in drug peddling in the said community.
Rosielda and his group, Pabilona said, were placed under close watch by PDEA following reports on his alleged involvement in illegal trade in this city.
Georgeff was placed under the custody of PDEA-3 pending result of the laboratory test conducted shortly after his arrest, said Pabilona.
Seized from the suspects place include 11 sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride weighing 20 grams with estimated street value of P136,000 and other illegal drugs paraphernalia. The suspects are now detained at PDEA detention cell at Diosdado Macapagal Government Center, Barangay Maimpis, City of San Fernando as violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002 are being readied against them.