War on drugs nets 14-K man

Anti-narcotics operatives of the Western Police District (WPD) have scored major victories against illegal drugs with the arrest of a suspected member of the 14-K Gang and the apprehension of a notorious drug pusher operating within the vicinity of the Malacañang Palace.

WPD’s District Drug Enforcement Group (DDEG) chief Superintendent Marcelino Pedroso Jr. identified the suspected 14-K Gang member as Allan Lee, alias Shu Tak Mui and alias "William," 48, of 1005 Tayabas street, Tondo; and Ryan Sanchez, 23, alias "Borobot," of 1443 J.P. Laurel street, San Miguel, Manila, allegedly the No. 1 drug pusher operating within the Malacañang area.

Pedroso said Lee was arrested by his men along P. Burgos corner Hospital streets in Intramuros, Manila last Thursday after receiving information that the suspect was about to deliver an unspecified quantity of shabu to one of his clients.

Pedroso said Lee was under surveillance after a reliable informant tipped him off that the Chinese national is a member of the notorious 14-K Gang.

However, only 10 grams of shabu, including drug paraphernalia, were recovered by police inside the compartment of the suspect’s vehicle, a maroon Honda Civic (WFP-108).

Lee, a native of Kowloon, Hongkong, pointed to one Michael Chan as his source of shabu during tactical interrogation. Police said Lee had purchased shabu from Chan for P670,000 a kilo.

Meanwhile, Sanchez was arrested during a buy-bust operation in San Miguel, Manila last Saturday. It was WPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong who ordered the WPD-DDEG operatives to conduct surveillance operations against Sanchez after receiving information of the suspect’s drug-dealing activities from residents of the area.

Bulaong reportedly got peeved when he learned that Sanchez was transacting shabu deals with residents of San Miguel, Manila and around the vicinity of the Malacañang Palace, the seat of the national government.

Two sachets of shabu and the marked money were recovered by police upon Sanchez’s arrest.

Proper charges were filed against the two notorious drug suspects, who were presented to the media yesterday by Bulaong together with 71 others who were nabbed by the police since Thursday in a five-day operations against illegal drugs. – Nestor Etolle, Cecille Suerte Felipe