March_2022_Infanta_drug_seizure
On March 15, 2022, law enforcement agents intercepted three vans in Brgy. Comon, Infanta, Quezon, Philippines, seized ₱11 billion worth of illegal drugs. The operation was described as the "biggest drug haul in Philippine history".
| Part of Philippine drug war | |
Portion of the confiscated drugs from the Infanta drug seizure | |
| Date | March 15, 2022 (2022-03-15) |
|---|---|
| Time | c. 4 am (PHT) |
| Location | National Highway, Brgy. Comon, Infanta, Quezon, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°44′27.02″N 121°38′42.54″E |
| Type | Anti-drug law enforcement operation |
| Participants | National Bureau of Investigation
Philippine National Police–Infanta Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)–Lucena |
| Casualties | |
| None | |
| Arrests | 10 |
| Accused | 10 |
| Amount of drugs seized | 1,585.25 kilograms (3,494.9 lb) |
| Worth of drugs seized | ₱11 billion |
The National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (TFAID) and Research and Analysis Division, the Lucena District Office, along with the Philippine National Police-Infanta and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Lucena conducted a seizure of methamphetamine hydrochloride, an illegal drug in the Philippines, on March 15, 2022 in Brgy. Comon, Infanta in Quezon province.[1]
At a checkpoint setup along the National Highway at around 4am, the combined law enforcement operatives intercepted three white Nissan Urban vans. Ten individuals were arrested.[2]
An informant from the PDEA provided leads to the NBI-TFAID which made the drug operation possible.[3]
The NBI received a tip, that a shipment of illegal drugs would arrive in the Philippines in the shores of Quezon province and would be received by land-based transporters.[4] The contraband reportedly were retrieved from waters between Polillo and Balesin islands.[5]
The drugs retrieved are methamphetamine hydrochloride. They were placed inside 1,589 teabags which in turn were concealed inside 80 sacks.[2] The drugs weigh 1,585.25 kilograms (3,494.9 lb) in total,[3] and are estimate to worth around ₱11 billion.[2] The seized contrabands would undergo inventory and marking at the Taytay Tiangge Building in Taytay, Rizal with the presence of Brgy. Comon officials and Infanta, Quezon media representatives.[6]
The seizure would be tagged as the "biggest drug haul in Philippine history" by the NBI.[7]
Ten suspects were arrested on the spot as a result of the operation.[2] The Department of Justice (DOJ) approved the filing of cases against all of the detained for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165).[4] They were detained at the NBI center in Manila.[8]
The NBI has categorically deny linking any public officials of Quezon province to the drug seizure responding to circulating unverified information through social media.[8]
President Rodrigo Duterte conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu to the National Bureau of Investigation which at the time was led by Officer in Charge Eric Distor.[5]
- Mondonedo-Ynot, Laureen (March 18, 2022). "P11-B shabu seized in Quezon, biggest drug haul in PH history". SunStar. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "Shabu Net of P11 Billion Seized, 10 Suspects Intercepted in Infanta, Quezon". Quezon Provincial Police Office. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- De Leon, Susan (December 21, 2022). "Over ₱11M cash rewards given to 4 informants under PDEA's Operation Private Eye". Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Pulta, Benjamin (March 25, 2022). "Criminal raps OK'd vs. 10 suspects in P11-B shabu haul". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (March 31, 2022). "Duterte honors NBI over P11 billion drug haul". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "₱10 billion worth of shabu seized in Quezon". CNN Philippines. March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Mallari, Delfin Jr; Mendoza, John Eric (March 16, 2022). "'Biggest drug haul in PH history: P11B in shabu seized in Quezon'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Damicog, Jeffrey (March 24, 2022). "NBI denies tagging any Quezon province official in P11-B worth of seized shabu". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.