2 women busted for shabu

Police arrested two women in possession of half a kilo of shabu with an estimated street value of P500,000 during a buy-bust operation Tuesday in Makati City.

The suspects, Miraflor Montoya, alias Bengbeng, 46, of Block 24-K, Sto. Niño Street, Roosevelt Avenue, Quezon City and Nimfa Ortiz, 34, of 1602 Antel Seaview Tower, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, gave themselves up peacefully to the men of Superintendent Miguel Laurel of the Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO).

Laurel said his men seized from Montoya and Ortiz a plastic sachet containing 500 grams of shabu and the P45,000 "show money" used in the buy-bust operation.

In his report to Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, Laurel said a police asset managed to arrange a deal for the purchase of 500 grams of shabu from the two suspects.

In coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), RISOO operatives posted themselves at the Rockwell Shopping complex in Makati City at about 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Montoya and Ortiz arrived minutes later on board a taxi. Poseur-buyer PO3 Alberto Evia approached the two suspects and the negotiation for the sale of shabu which took place inside a store.

Evia signaled his companions to make the arrest after receiving the bag containing shabu.

The suspects told police they get their shabu supply from a source in Southern Tagalog. Laurel, however, refused to reveal the name of the source for fear of jeopardizing ongoing follow-up operations. – Non Alquitran