Ecstasy smuggled through mail

The so-called Corinthian Boys are smuggling into the country Ecstasy tablets through the mailing system.

This was discovered by investigators from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) during the tactical interrogation of five suspects arrested in separate operations last week.

Operatives headed by Supt. Nicolas Gregorio, chief of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) of the NCRPO arrested Jerome Magno, 32; Paulo de Asis, 25; Robert Amado Ruiz, 28; Ronald Vasquez, 25; and Demetriou Bautista, 26.

All residents of the posh Corinthian Gardens subdivision in Quezon City, the suspects yielded 472 pieces of the banned Ecstasy tablets worth at least P708,000.

Gregorio said Magno and De Asis, who were denied bail by prosecutor Dindo Venturina of the Quezon City prosecutor’s office, are facing charges of illegal transportation and possession and sale of prohibited drugs. Meanwhile, Ruiz, Vasquez and Bautista were already released by the court.

The NCRPO-PACER chief disclosed that the Corinthian Boys’ list of clients include movie personalities whom he did not identify so as not to jeopardize follow-up operations.

"We will get them soon," Gregorio vowed.

Supt. Miguel Laurel, NCPRO intelligence chief, said they are now conducting massive research on how to stop the flow of Ecstasy pills into the country armed with the information from the Corinthian Boys.

"They are smuggling into the country their supply of Ecstasy tablets through packages or the airport facilities and we are now searching for ways to permanently stop their illegal transactions," Laurel told The STAR.

According to Laurel, they have no information whether the Corinthian Boys have resumed their illegal activities following the arrest of the suspects.

Meanwhile, former Philippine Constabulary (PC) chief retired Gen. Ramon Montano disclosed that one of the suspects, Jerome Magno, was his nephew. He admitted calling NCRPO chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco to inquire regarding the circumstances of the suspects’ arrest.

"I called up just to inquire how my nephew and his companions were arrested and not specifically to influence the case," Montano told The STAR in an interview. Velasco confirmed Montano’s claim.