Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a man with 2,454.85 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, valued at about P16 million, in Pasay City.

The NBI identified the suspect as Raymond Darag Dulla, who, after his arrest last 14 September, was charged with illegal transport of prohibited drugs under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The seized drugs were subjected to forensic examination which determined the drugs as shabu. Dulla was subjected to a drug test which found him positive for marijuana and shabu.

It said that Dulla was arrested during an interdiction operation conducted by NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) last 14 September along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City.

Confiscated from Dulla were tape dispensers containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.

The operation stemmed from information that on 14 September 2023, Dulla would be transporting shabu concealed in tape dispensers placed inside a brown box.

"Additional information revealed that Subject will be renting a taxi that will traverse the service road near Kenny Roger's along Roxas Boulevard and Heritage Hotel in Pasay City at around 8:00 in the evening."

Agents of NBI-NCR proceeded to the area where the taxi was supposed to pass, and after spotting the taxi boarded by Dulla, the agents discretely followed it.

The NBI-NCR operatives flagged down the taxi but the taxi tried to accelerate but was eventually blocked by the vehicles of the operatives before it could escape.