American nabbed with P50-M shabu

MANILA, Philippines - An American man was arrested for allegedly possessing around 10 kilos of illegal drugs, mostly shabu, in his condominium unit and his red-plated car in Makati City before noon yesterday.

About a kilo of shabu, five grams of cocaine, tablets of the anti-anxiety drug Valium and syringes were reportedly seized from Brian Hill’s unit at the Columns Tower Condominium and nine kilos of shabu from a Mitsubishi Pajero Hill uses. The Pajero (SEP-825) is registered under the National Power Corp.

The total street value of the shabu seized from Hill, 32, is P50 million, police said.

Members of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, headed by Senior Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas, searched Hill’s condominium and car using a search warrant issued by Quezon City Judge Fernando Sagun Jr. of Branch 78.

Chief Inspector Roque Merdeguia said Hill came from Hong Kong Monday night and they are checking if he already had the shabu when he arrived at the airport.

“Brian has been in the Philippines for about four years now and allegedly distributing shabu and cocaine in Makati area. So based on the information, we conducted a case buildup operation,” he added.

Merdeguia said they coordinated with the US Drug Enforcement Administration to arrest Hill, who will be charged with violating Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.