POLICE SAY DRUG PEDDLERS IN TONDO EASILY MAKE P1,000 IN ONE HOUR

Elements of the Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday said drug
vendors in the "shabu hot spots" in Manila's Tondo district earn up to
P1,000 an hour.

According to MPD anti-illegal drug unit chief Rodolfo Llorca, many of
those vendors had already been arrested in earlier raids but returned
to the illegal drug trade because of "easy money."

"Ang iba rito ay nahuli na at bumalik dahil walang trabaho.
Pinakamabilis ang kitaan dito, wala pang halos isang oras ay P500
hanggang P1,000 ang kita, depende sa galing (Some of those caught had
been arrested before. But they went back because of easy money.
Depending on their negotiating skills, one can earn P500 to P1,000 in
less than an hour)," Llorca told Iglesia ni Cristo-run radio dzEC
during an interview.

He explained one "bulto" or an equivalent of five grams of shabu
(hydrochloride methamphetamine) can fetch up to P18,000.

Police arrested at least nine persons during a raid of suspected drug
hot spots in Tondo last Friday morning.

The operatives confiscated several sachets of shabu.

Initial investigation showed the sachets of drugs were left under pots
or mats where buyers can pick them up.

"We got evidence of such activities when we used hidden video cameras
to conduct surveillance," Llorca said.