Marikina cops target 106 more drug dealers

The Marikina City police are now targeting 106 more drug pushers operating in its 16 barangays.

This developed as city prosecutor Marissa Dadulla Amos recommended no bail against Larry de la Cruz, alias Diko, 39, and his wife, Dyesebbel, 52, alias Baby Tsina, who were arrested Tuesday during a buy-bust operation staged by the local police.

De la Cruz was tagged as the No. 1 drug pusher in the city. The 106 drug pushers were listed in the Case Operation Plan (COPLAN) "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" prepared by the local anti-drug unit for the neutralization of the de la Cruz couple.

"We have already identified them. It’s a matter of days before we have them arrested," said Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., referring to the remaining drug pushers in the city. "They better mend their ways now or spend the remaining days of their lives in jail."

Ramos gave top priority to the neutralization of six henchmen and couriers of the de la Cruz couple, who were based in Barangay Malanday. He refused to name the drug syndicates’ henchmen for fear of jeopardizing ongoing follow-up operations.

He said the group of the De la Cruz couple was tagged as the source of illegal drugs in Marikina City. "They are engaged in illegal drugs distribution in the city. They were based in Barangay Malanday but transferred residence in Antipolo City recently apparently to throw away police teams going after them," he said.

The De la Cruz couple was arrested Tuesday after a brief car chase after consummating a P1,000 drug deal with a police poseur-buyer.

They denied pushing illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Amos found sufficient evidence to pin down the De la Cruz couple for drug pushing and illegal possession of illegal drugs.

At the time of their arrest, De la Cruz yielded two grams of shabu while the police raiders seized four grams of shabu from his wife. Ramos expressed hope that they can neutralize remnants of the De la Cruz drug syndicate in a period of three months. – Non Alquitran