The raid conducted by combined forces of SAF, HPG and PNP-CIDG at a shabu tiangge in Caloocan City. (UNTV News)
CALOOCAN CITY, Philippines — The authorities also recovered several firearms and explosives, drug paraphernalia and motorcycle vehicles.
A police officer explained that the combined forces of the PNP-CIDG, special action force and the Highway Patrol Group were needed to conduct a raid operation in Caloocan City.
Based on the 14 search warrants, almost 200 authorities from the CIDG, SAF, HPG, EOD have conducted a raid operation in Barangay 188 Tala, Caloocan City at dawn yesterday targeting gun for hire criminals, drug traffickers and car thieves in the area.
According to CIDG Chief P/Dir. Benjamin Magalong, 20 suspects were arrested by the police. The authorities were also able to seize 8 firearms and ammunitions which include a carbine rifle, five 45-caliber pistols, one 38 caliber pistol and a 22 caliber revolver, 2 hand grenades and some undetermined quantity of shabu, drug paraphernalia and 17 motorcycles.
Magalong said the police searched 10 houses, with small rooms that were turned into drug lairs by alleged criminal elements.
CIDG Chief P/Dir. Benjamin Magalong said,” it needs to be destroyed because we expect them to return here at the tiangge center (market). They think they could freely mobilize drugs.”
The general further added that the stolen motorcycles are being sent in exchange for shabu.
The said area is just a few blocks away from the police precinct in Caloocan.
Caloocan Chief of Police, P/Ssupt. Bartolome Bustamante however explained that a handful of police officers alone cannot manage the operation because of the area’s high risk situation.
“Two police officers will not suffice. The area is quite different. There is only one way to get in and out. It’s too risky.”
The seized firearms, ammunitions, explosives and motorcycles were brought to Camp Crame.
It can be remembered that only last year an NBI agent died during an operation after serving a warrant of arrest in the said area. (ANNE NUNEZ/UNTV News)