PDEA CONFISCATES HALF KILO OF COCAINE; 2 PUSHERS NABBED

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confiscated one half kilogram of suspected cocaine from two pushers in an entrapment operation in Quezon City, early morning of December 14, 2011.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez, Jr. identified the suspects as Mark Barbers Ablan, a 49-year old businessman and a resident of 2801 Wack-Wack Twin Towers, Mandaluyong City, and Mark Lorenzo Diaz, a 46-year old Filipino-American residing at 2223 Roxas Boulevard, Marvelia 1 Condominium, Pasay City.

Elements of the PDEA Special Enforcement Service (PDEA-SES), augmented by operatives PDEA National Capital Region (PDEA-NCR), arrested Ablan and Diaz after selling six sachets of suspected cocaine to a poseur buyer in a buy-bust operation conducted in a gas station along Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City at around 1:00 am. Also recovered from the suspects were three small sachets of marijuana, one vial of ketanol, assorted medicine, drug paraphernalia and Toyota Camry bearing plate number XNX 336.

The arrested suspects are presently detained in the PDEA-NCR detention facility while seized pieces of drug evidence were submitted to PDEA Laboratory Service for qualitative examination. PDEA is now preparing necessary documents for the filing of appropriate charges for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Evangeline DJ Almenario, Chief, Public Information Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency