Authorities seized about 30 kilos of shabu from a drug lord’s right-hand man in a drug operation at a condo unit in Brgy. Rosario, Pasig City, Monday night.
The illegal drugs’ street value was around P204 million.
The suspect was identified as Manolito Lugo Carlos, alias Lito and Tonge. He will be charged with violations of Section 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and RA 10591 (The Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition).
NCRPO Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU), Pasig City Station Drug Enforcement Unit-Eastern Police District, and PDEA- NCR Regional Office joined forces to arrest the suspect. The law enforcers raided Carlos’ condo unit in Building M2, 4th Floor, Unit 416, Sorrento Oasis Residences, C. Raymundo Avenue, Brgy. Rosario.
Before the operation, authorities received information about the suspect’s illegal activity.
After full surveillance, authorities obtained a Search Warrant from the office of Executive Judge Danilo Cruz of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 152 to search the area. The suspect rented the condo to make it an illegal drug warehouse.
The police recovered 30 large plastic tea packs of Chinese Tea from the suspect. They discovered each pack contains one kilo of the illegal drug or 30 kilos of shabu in total.
Also, authorities confiscated different drug paraphernalia, and various bank deposit slips, with significant amounts of remittances, allegedly for illegal drugs payments.
According to police, their investigation revealed that the suspect was a high-value target and a member of a syndicated organised gang involved in the illegal drug trade in Metro Manila, Region 3 and Calabarzon.
The suspect was first arrested in 2000 for illegal drugs but was acquitted by a court in Mandaluyong.
However, he did not change but returned to selling drugs instead.
NCRPO Chief, P/Maj. Gen Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said Carlos was connected to a drug lord killed in a buy-bust operation in Quezon City last Sunday.
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