- Advertisement -

By JIGGER JERUSALEM
and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents .

POLICE arrested a South Korean-American for alleged shabu use inside a room of Koresco Hotel in Lumbia at around 3 am yesterday.

- Advertisement -

Capt. Tessie Lleva, Cogon police station commander, identified the suspect as 66-year-old Dong Young Kim, a retired US Army soldier.

Police alleged that Dong was caught in the act of using shabu in his hotel room.

Authorities claimed to have seized from the Korean-American two sachets of suspected shabu, a “tooter,” and a disposable lighter with an aluminum foil attached to it.

Maj. Ivan Viñas, city police spokesperson, said the raid was carried out after police received a tip from an informant.

Viñas said investigators were profiling the suspect, and were trying to find out exactly why he was in the city.

Capt. Lleva however said Dong has long been suspected to be selling shabu to foreigners living in the city.

“His clients are Koreans who, aside from using illegal drugs, are also avid e-bingo players,” she said.

Dong, she said, was considered by the Cogon police as a “high-value target.”

In fact, she added, the foreigner was arrested for possession and selling illegal drugs in 2016, but the case against him was dismissed.

Lleva said the question on why the case against Dong was dismissed has become part of the police’s ongoing investigation.

Before the raid, police conducted a month-long surveillance on Dong, and they found out that his shabu supply came from General Santos City, Lleva said.

Police were about to arrest Dong Thursday night but they opted to wait for the Korean-American’s supplier to arrive. Dong was supposedly told by his supplier later by phone that he cannot make a delivery yet.

Instead of calling off the operation, Lleva said an “operative” invited Dong to do drugs inside his hotel room.

Dong has declined to be interviewed by reporters.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -