Two alleged ‘ice’ sources and 2 alleged traffickers arrested

Members of the CNMI Drug Enforcement Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, backed by a Customs K-9 Unit, arrested on Thursday and Friday four persons, including two alleged main distributors of methamphetamine or “ice” during a buy-bust operation and a raid at a residence on Navy Hill, Saipan.

DETF said they seized “ice” from the suspects, who are all Chinese nationals. Cheng Duo Zhang, 40, and Fu Le Li, 29, Ying Li, 31, and Hong Hue Jin, 50, were taken to Superior Court Monday on charges of trafficking of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit trafficking of a controlled substance, and illegal possession of a controlled substance.

Zhang, a hotel maintenance worker, is also known as Older Brother. Fu Le Li, a former construction worker, is also known as Brother.

Ying Li, a former restaurant waitress, is also known as Sister. Jin is a former nightclub waitress, according to court documents.

A $200,000 cash bail was each imposed on Zhang and Fu Le Li, and $100,000 cash each on Ying Li and Jin.

Assistant public defender Michael Sato was appointed as counsel for Zhang, while private counsels will be appointed for the remaining three defendants.

Assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas appeared for the government.

Preliminary hearing will be on Nov. 10 at 9am.

DETF officers Rudolph C. Sablan Jr. and Joe O. Fitial stated in their separate report that conducted a controlled “buy-bust” operation in Garapan last Thursday.

Sablan and Fitial said they utilized a cooperating defendant to purchase “ice” from a Chinese woman known as Sister. They said Sister was later identified as Ying Li.

During the transaction, Li allegedly contacted her female roommate, identified as defendant Jin.

The cooperating defendant allegedly managed to purchase $790 worth of “ice” from Li and Jin inside a car in the parking lot behind T-Galleria/Best Sunshine Live in Garapan.

After the cooperating defendant sent a message that the transaction was done, the authorities moved in and arrested Li and Jin.

Sablan and Fitial said they recovered two baggies containing a total of 2.6 gross grams of “ice” from the cooperating defendant and inside the passenger side of Li’s vehicle.

During the search, Jin’s purse was found to contain six baggies of 7.8 gross grams of “ice” while Li’s cellphone had a baggie of 1.2 gross grams of “ice.”

Sablan said Li confessed she has been an “ice” user for a month now and that her friend, identified as Brother (Fu Le Li), is her source.

Li said she and Brother arrived on Saipan at the same time.

Li said she would order half a gram to a gram of “ice” from Brother at the latter’s house on Navy Hill.

Li said Brother stays with three other Chinese men at a two-story concrete house on upper Navy Hill.

Li disclosed that Brother lives with another “ice” distributor known as Older Brother (Zhang).

Li confessed that Brother and Older Brother are one of the main distributors for “ice” who hide at least 100 to 200 grams of “ice” inside their house or in surrounding areas.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities on Friday raided the Brothers’ house and arrested Zhang and Fu Le Li.

During the sweep, authorities found 15.4 gross grams of “ice” inside a container in the kitchen. Drug paraphernalia were also recovered.