A local Filipino man was arrested on Tuesday for drug trafficking in the city centre, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said at a special press conference yesterday, adding that in the operation the police seized 13.1 grammes of cocaine, 12.15 grammes of heroin, 191 magu pills, and 87.61 grammes of methamphetamine (aka ice), with an estimated street value of a total of 410,000 patacas.

Magu is a narcotic consisting of methamphetamine and caffeine.

According to Lei, the 40-year-old suspect, surnamed Ruz, works as a deliveryman.

Lei said that based on a tip-off the Judiciary Police had received recently, claiming that a Filipino was selling drugs to his compatriots, PJ officers identified Ruz and put his home in the central district under surveillance. The officers intercepted Ruz at about 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, on whom they found a packet containing 0.77 grammes of ice.

Upon searching Ruz’s home, the officers found drug packaging tools such as small zip-lock plastic bags, drug-taking paraphernalia, and a cardboard box made to look like a “book” containing some of the drugs, Lei pointed out, adding that Ruz, who tested positive for ice, refused to cooperate with the police.

The Judiciary Police are continuing their investigation in an attempt to trace the origin of the drugs and other possible suspects.

Ruz was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing a drug trafficking charge, according to Lei. 

Evidence seized from the Philippine drug suspect, such as cocaine, magu pills, heroin, and ice, as well as small zip-lock plastic bags, drug-taking paraphernalia and a cardboard box book, is being displayed during yesterday’s special press conference at the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters in Zape. – Photo: Yuki Lei