Students arrested in QC buy-bust for allegedly selling vapes laced with a prohibited substance

• Six young individuals, including a minor, were arrested in a buy-bust operation for allegedly selling vape cartridges laced with a prohibited substance

• The suspects, all students, were apprehended in a Quezon City condominium, which they allegedly used as a hub for online drug transactions

• Aside from vapes laced with an illegal substance authorities also seized ecsta5y and shabu

• Police are now focused on tracking down the main supplier of the illegal vapes

A police operation in Quezon City has led to the arrest of six young individuals, including a minor, for allegedly selling vape cartridges containing an illegal substance and other illicit substances.

The suspects, all of whom are students ranging in age from 17 to 25, were apprehended in a buy-bust operation at a residential condominium in the city.

The raid was conducted by a joint team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) after a month-long surveillance operation.

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Police authorities had been monitoring an online network that sold the contraband to a diverse market of young adults and party-goers.

According to investigators, the young suspects would allegedly use the condominium unit as a hub for their transactions, often inviting buyers over for "sessions" after purchasing the illegal products.

Police Major Helen Dela Cruz of the CIDG Public Information Office warned of the grave danger posed by these items, noting that the packaging of the confiscated vapes openly declared they had an illegal substance content.

“Itong klaseng vape na ito na may illegal substance na content ay ipinagbabawal," she said in a statement. “Ito ay ibinibenta po sa online, one month ang ating surveillance dito. Ang mga market nila ay halo-halo, ‘yung mga partygoers, ‘yung mga youth.”

In addition to the an illegal substance-laced vapes, authorities also seized other party drug, including ecsta5y and three sachets of suspected shabu, from the suspects' possession.

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Despite the evidence, all six young people denied the accusations. One male suspect claimed they were simply on a "staycation," while a female suspect asserted she was just "dropping by" and didn't know the others.

The arrested individuals are students from various academic levels, ranging from a Grade 12 student to a 3rd-year college student.

The CIDG stated that drug-related charges will be filed against the five adult suspects, while the minor will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in accordance with the law.

The CIDG is now shifting its focus to identifying and apprehending the primary supplier of the illegal vape cartridges, which they suspect were smuggled into the country due to their unregistered status.

This arrest serves as a stern warning against the growing online drug trade that continues to target the youth.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable stories that people could easily understand and relate in their lives.

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In other news, a mother in Tanauan, Batangas was arrested for attempting to sell her two-week-old baby online for ₱45,000. Police also rescued her one-year-old child during the entrapment operation. The suspect admitted desperation as a single parent and said she only wanted to pay hospital bills. PNP-WCPC warned that baby-selling is punishable by life imprisonment, with penalties for both sellers and buyers.

Still in other news a female rider in Nueva Vizcaya lost an arm after picking up a dropped phone on the road. Police said she was struck by an oncoming vehicle while retrieving the phone. Netizens debated accountability, with some defending the driver. Others criticized the victim’s decision, calling it an unsafe impulse.

Source: KAMI.com.gh