Marijuana dealers nabbed in Caloocan over online casino debt

Two drug personalities were arrested by anti-drug operatives from the Northern Police District after selling marijuana and kush, a high-grade strain of marijuana, to poseur buyers early Friday morning.

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Aniway Jr., head of the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Northern Police District, the buy-bust operation took place at a billiard hall in Phase 7B, Bagong Silang, North Caloocan.

The arrested individuals were identified as alias "Andrie," 24, and alias "Mark," 22, both residents of North Caloocan.

"Based on the initial investigation, the owner of the billiard hall has no connection to the suspects we apprehended, but we are still not ruling out the possibility at this point," the anti-drug chief said.

Aniway added that the primary target of the operation was P14,000 worth of kush. However, upon frisking the suspects, authorities found an additional 15 grams of suspected kush and 950 grams of suspected marijuana, with a combined value of P157,500.

The suspects, who are both unemployed, are not listed on the Northern Police District's drug watchlist.

"They [suspects] said that they are getting their supply through Facebook and are being sent to them via a courier service; however, upon checking, their accounts have already been blocked by the said source," Aniway continued.

Authorities reported that the arrested individuals had been supplying marijuana and kush in Bagong Silang, Tala, and neighboring barangays in North Caloocan.

In response to the allegations, Mark said he did not know his friend, Andrie, would be selling illegal drugs that night. However, he admitted to using marijuana.

"I use it, but not every day. I usually just use it to calm myself down because of anxiety and as a stress reliever."

Andrie, on the other hand, stated that a high school classmate had asked him to sell the marijuana leaves, but he also admitted to being involved in narcotics trade.

"I also use it sometimes when I can't sleep, and I got into selling because I ended up with a debt from online casino gambling," the 24-year-old suspect said.

Both suspects will face charges under Sections 5, 11, and 26 of Article 2 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the "Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002."