DPS busts alleged ‘ice’ trafficker

The Department of Public Safety’s Drug Enforcement Task Force busted another Chinese man for allegedly trafficking a large amount of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice.”

According to a DPS statement, task force officers arrested the Chinese individual in Garapan for alleged illegal possession of a controlled substance and drug trafficking. The arrest was the third in the second drug takedown operation last Friday, Feb. 22.

The man goes by the alias “Brother.”

At the scene, task force officers seized 42 grams of “ice” with a street value of about $29,000.

The suspect was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho. The suspect’s bail was set at $100,000.

Probable cause to arrest Brother was reported by a task force officer following two “buy-walk” operations in Dan Dan and in Gualo Rai on Feb. 22.

Saipan Tribune archives report that two other men who also go by “Brother” were arrested in Chinatown for alleged possession and trafficking of methamphetamine.

Ruijun Huang, 46, and Zhao Xin Zhu, 40, were charged last Friday with possession of a controlled substance and trafficking of a controlled substance.

Huang is the alleged source of supply for methamphetamine while Zhu is the alleged deliveryman.

According to court documents, a cooperating defendant of the task force expressed willingness to help law enforcement in conducting a monitored and recorded purchase from Huang.

On Feb. 21 at around 9:53am, DETF officers monitored a phone conversation between the cooperating defendant and Huang and were able to determine a meet-up at an abandoned carwash area in Garapan. DETF officers gave the cooperating defendant $1,400 to purchase two grams of meth from Huang.

DETF surveillance teams then established a perimeter around the abandoned carwash area and equipped the cooperating defendant with a wire to record the transaction.

At about 10:13am, DETF officers observed a green Toyota Corolla park along the street directly south of the abandoned carwash. The man who exited the car was described as a tall and skinny Asian male dressed in black and was identified later as Huang or Brother.

Huang was then seen entering the cooperating defendant’s car where the transaction was made.

Later, DETF officers met with the cooperating defendant and procured a small clear plastic baggie that contained a crystalline substance, the recording device, and the $300 that was unused.

The crystalline substance later tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.
DETF surveillance teams then followed Huang’s vehicle to a compound in Chinatown where he and Zhu were arrested.