2 riding on scooter arrested for ‘ice’ possession

Two persons riding in tandem on a scooter were arrested after police found methamphetamine or “ice” from one of them during a sobriety checkpoint along Beach Road, Chalan Piao, on Saturday night.

Fu Zhu Lin, 40, and his girlfriend, Mei Ying Qi, 45, were apprehended for possession of controlled substance.

Qi was released from jail after posting $5,000 cash on Sunday. Lin, jobless, was taken to the Superior Court yesterday afternoon for a bail hearing.

Associate judge Joseph James N. Camacho imposed a $5,000 cash bail for Lin’s temporary release and set the preliminary hearing to Jan. 5, 2012 at 9am.

Chief Public Defender Adam Hardwicke was appointed as counsel for Lin. Acting chief prosecutor Peter Prestley appeared for the government at the hearing.

Prestley informed the court that the Office of the Attorney General previously charged Lin with trafficking “ice” but the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be re-opened in the future.

Detective Raymond B. Borja stated in his report that on Saturday between 6pm to 7:15pm, the Department of Public Safety’s Traffic Investigation and Highway Patrol conducted sobriety checkpoint in front of Hopwood Junior High School in Chalan Piao.

At 7:10pm, Sgt. Anthony Macaranas noticed a scooter that was directed over to the citation area of the checkpoint for expired vehicle registration.

Police Officer Rudolph Hermosilla found that Lin, the driver of the scooter, had no driver’s license and identification card.

The registration of the scooter also expired since 2005. As Macaranas was checking on Lin, the defendant handed money, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and keys to Qi.

Qi placed the pack of cigarettes that Lin handed to her into her breast area and refused to give it to Hermosilla despite being advised repeatedly to do so.

Police Officer Therese Kintoki placed her hand in to Qi’s dress and took out a cigarette box that contained three pieces of cigarettes and four small clear Ziplocks (baggie) filled with a crystal-like substance.

The crystal-like substance was later tested positive for crystal methamphetamine or “ice.” Police did not indicate the quantity of the seized “ice.”

On Oct. 29, 2010, members of the Drug Enforcement Task Force and other members of the DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted a buy-bust operation against Lin in San Jose, Tinian.

Police said Lin was distributing “ice” out of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, where he was then employed.

In July 2011, the OAG moved to dismiss against Lin since the detective handling the case has left the island for a new job and there is difficulty in obtaining his file or report of the case.

Wiseman granted the motion, but slammed DPS and the OAG for “their lack of coordination and cooperation in investigating cases.”