MANILA—In a series of drug busts conducted between Thursday and Saturday, police in Quezon City arrested 19 alleged drug personalities whom authorities claim are connected to the Binondo drug group syndicate.

At a press conference in Fairview on Saturday, Metro Manila regional police director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar announced the result of the operations, which also resulted in the seizure of P6.8-million worth of suspected shabu found in 38 sachets.

Police said the 6 operations from June 14-16, mostly in Maligaya Park Subd. in Bgy. Pasong Putik, QC yielded a haul of 1-kg or P6.8-million worth of shabu from the arrested suspects. (📸: QCPD Station 5) pic.twitter.com/8ZKUo98jhS

— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) June 16, 2018

A caliber-.38 pistol and 4 vehicles supposedly used by the group were also placed in police custody.

The Binondo group allegedly distributes illegal drugs in Quezon City and Manila, Eleazar said.

He also bared deposit slips of payments to alleged dummy companies amounting to hundreds of thousands of pesos.

“They were using dummies to transfer the amounts. They dispose 2 to 3 kilograms of shabu per week,” Eleazar said.

Supt. Benjie Gabriel, commander of QCPD Station 5 covering Fairview, said those arrested mainly sold drugs in north Fairview but went beyond.

“Pati region 4 and 3 bukod dito sa Metro Manila, gamit nila cellphone para sa transaction,” he said.

Gabriel said anti-drug police officers began arresting small-time drug peddlers in Maligaya Park Subdivision in Bgy. Pasong Putik.

The information authorities gathered from the 11 men and 6 women arrested led to the capture of two cousins, 18 and 21 years old, at an operation in Bgy. Greater Fairview early Saturday morning.

When interviewed, the two cousins denied being involved in drugs.

The 18-year-old said he knew his mother’s business was hog-raising in Batangas. He claimed not to see her often.

Eleazar said the mother, Maria Theresa Morales, was also the lead suspect in the Zapanta and Salamatin group, a drug and gun-running syndicate that was the subject of police operations in Novaliches in 2017.

“This proves that this group has been here before. Ito 'yung ginagamit nilang galamay para magpakalat ng droga,” Eleazar said.

Morales and two others, Marlon Morales and Victorio “James” Pascual, were targets of follow-up operations on Saturday, but were not caught.

The 3 persons at-large will be included in drug raps to be filed against the 19 others arrested. Police hope this would lead to warrants for their arrest.

Amid a host of successive anti-drug busts throughout Metro Manila, Eleazar vowed more operations in the coming days as part of an intensified anti-crime drive under the new police leadership.

“Gagawin natin 'yan para mas mapalakas ang ating operations. We cannot allow ourselves to slow down. Kung ano ang gains natin ipagpapatuloy natin ito,” he said.