P1.7M crystal meth seized from drug traffickers in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

BAGUIO CITY (April 11, 2025) – Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Pangasinan operatives seized P1,700,000.00 worth of crystal meth or shabu and a firearm from a sting operation in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan Thursday afternoon.

PDEA-Ilocos Region director Joel B. Plaza said “alias Ed”, 40, from Urdaneta City and “alias Mcgyver”, 21, from Malasiqui, Pangasinan, were arrested at around 3:46 PM, Thursday, April 10, 2025, when PDEA agents with local policemen seized three pieces of knot-tied transparent plastic sachet containing the illegal white crystalline substance weighing more or less 250 grams.

A cal. 45 pistol with one magazine and seven live ammunition, a glass water pipe and a glass tooter were also seized from the duo including  a vehicle (Mitsubishi Montero) and two mobile phones they used in their drug dealing.                                                                                                                     

Both, who were taken to the PDEA-Pangasinan jail facility in Urdaneta City, will face violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; and RA 10591, or The Comprehensive Firearm and Ammunition Act in relation to COMELEC Gun Ban, Plaza said.

Meanwhile, PDEA-Cordillera reported it has hauled over P500 million worth of illegal drugs during the first quarter of this year alone.

A total of 1, 533. 477 kilograms of shabu; 2, 040 .04 ml; 81, 246, 215 pieces of marijuana plants; 1, 711.56 kg of marijuana bricks; 8, 649.37 of dried marijuana leaves; 11,210.17 kg; 55.350 kg of marijuana marijuana seedlings; 312.94 ml of marijuana oil and 1.2992 grams of marijuana kush were hauled from the anti-illegal drug operations that were conducted from January-March this year.  The total worth of the illegal drugs haul was placed at P509,139, 889.64.

It also said a total of 772 anti-illegal drug operations were launched in the first quarter where 111 drug personalities were caught.



PDEA also claimed that there are a total of 798 drug-cleared barangays and 382 drug-free barangays in the highland region, though admitting there are still 18 barangays that are drug-affected.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong however is pushing authorities to conduct a thorough review on those earlier declared as drug-free barangays in the city at the heels of recent sting operations where sizeable volumes of crystal meth were seized, including the discovery of 20 kilos of shabu at a rented apartment in Dontogan barangay where four drug personalities including a police officer were caught.