Drug raid nets six in Quiapo

Six persons, including a 75-year-old woman, were arrested during an anti-drug operation by the Western Police District-Drug Enforcement Group (WPD-DEG) in Quiapo, Manila yesterday.

Arrested were Edris Kusain; Bayjie Mangigid, 27; Dany Alik, 26; Mali Edris, 75, Caroline Manuel and Amir Hasan Manuel, 19, all residents of 208 Elizondo street, Quiapo, Manila.

Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr., WPD-DEG chief, said the operation was carried out at around 11 a.m. yesterday at Kusain’s residence following intelligence reports that he was engaged in the sale of illegal drugs.

Kusain admitted to Police Officer 3 Roy Valero that his arrest yesterday was his third but he had managed to post bail in the two previous cases.

Based on the intelligence reports, police applied and eventually secured a search warrant from Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Enrico Lanzanas of Branch 7, to search the house of Kusain.

After the raid, DEG operatives recovered some 200 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P400,000, a weighing scale and plastic sachets from Kusain’s house.

"The plastics are being used for repacking the shabu for single consumption," an investigator said.

Except for Kusain, the other suspects denied being part of the illegal drug trade.

But police said Mangigid, who insisted she was not involved, tried to escape by slamming the door of her room. Raiders forcibly entered the room and recovered an undetermined amount of drugs.