March 2022 Infanta drug seizure

March 2022 Infanta drug seizure

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 Task Force Against Illegal Drugs Research and Analysis Division Lucena District Office 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

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".

Operation

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]

Drugs seized

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]

Suspects

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]

Honors

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]

References

1. Mondonedo-Ynot, Laureen (March 18, 2022). "P11-B shabu seized in Quezon, biggest drug haul in PH history". SunStar. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
2. "Shabu Net of P11 Billion Seized, 10 Suspects Intercepted in Infanta, Quezon". Quezon Provincial Police Office. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
3. 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.
4. Pulta, Benjamin (March 25, 2022). "Criminal raps OK'd vs. 10 suspects in P11-B shabu haul". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
5. Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (March 31, 2022). "Duterte honors NBI over P11 billion drug haul". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
6. "₱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.
7. 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.
8. 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.