Woman Charged in $.28M Drug Bust
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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII UDR/,frr P M a r i a n a s ^ V a r i e t y i Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1 9 7 2 Voi. 21 No. 144. Saipan, MP 96950 ©1992 Marianas Variety Wednesday ■ October 7, 1992 Serving.CNMI.for20 Years. : Woman charged in $.28M drug bust By Gaynor Dumat-ol all the fish had been taken out. that the woman be placed under The plastic wall of the 40-inch the custody of her sister who also CUSTOMS authorities at Saipan wide container was slit open and lives in Saipan, on condition that International Airport seized the marijuana was discovered. the suspect post a property bond. $280,000 worth of marijuana It tookmore than five hours for Prior to Monday’s seizure, the concealed in an ice box Monday six customs officers to finish biggest marijuana bust recorded morning, possibly their biggest counting and verifying the mari by the CNMI customs service marijuana bust so far. juana rolls, Mafnas said. took place two years ago when Basilia F. You, 40, a resident of The ice box was transported by 5,18 2 rolls were seized. San Antonio Village and em a Continental Air Micronesia Meanwhile, another woman ployee of Pacific Islands Club flight from Palau which arrived was arrested on Beach Road be whoclaimed the cargo from Palau, at about 9 a.m. Monday. fore dawn yesterday after a po was charged yesterday with drug You, aresident of Saipan since lice officer found her to be al trafficking. 1974 and a native of Palau, legedly high on drugs. A total of 14,049 rolls or about claimed the ice chest about three At 2:58 a.m„ officer Ismael 40 pounds of marijuana were hours later, a report submitted to Aguon stopped Wilma B. found packed in the grooves of the police said. Villanueva, 27, when he noticed the ice box containing frozen fish, The suspect lives in San Anto that the 1991 model Mirage car said Lt. Joe C. Mafnas, supervi nio and is a single mother of two she was driving could not main sor of the CNMI Customs Canine children aged 10 and 5. tain a straight path. Enforcement Services. Assistant Attorney General Police Chief Antonio A. John Cdpeda, one of the canine Steven Pixley recommended a Reyes said Aguon, an expert enforcement officers who in $10,000 cash bail for the tempo on drug enforcement, also spected the cargo, said they rary release of You. discovered a small quantity of checked each of the fish inside the Special Judge Larry Hillblom, crystal methamphetamine or ice box and noticed that the con however, granted Public De “ ice” wrapped in tin foil inside SUSPECT Basilia You tells her story to Public Defenders Carol Bumey tainer was still heavy even when fender Dan De Rienzo’s motion Villanueva’s car. and Dan de Rienzo before the bail hearing at Superior Court yesterday. De Lugo’s proposal Gov’t guns CNMI sending 702 not used to abolish OTTA in shooting pact to Washington REPRESENTATIVE Ron de I-. · o By Rafael H. Arroyo Lugo has introduced a bill to incidents The federal and Commonwealth transfer the Interior Department’s governments, under the agree current policy role regarding THE GOVERNMENT will ment, will share in the funding American Samoa, Guam, North NONE of the 62 government-is transmit to the Interior Depart requirements for capi tal develop ern Mariana Islands, Virgin Is sued nine millimeter handguns ment the $275 million financial ment projects, with the US con lands and the Trust Territory is and submachine guns was used in assistance agreement forged un tributing the bigger portion in the sues to the Office of the Presi the recent shooting of the houses der section 702 of the Covenant first year, progressively decreas dent. of three Northern Marianas law without waiting for legislative ing until a 50-50 matching is This will be done by creating a makers, results of the ballistics endorsement, acting Governor achieved at the end of the period. White House-level of test conducted by the Guam crime Benjamin T. Manglona said yes Guerrero earlier sought an en policymaking process for all US laboratory show. terday. dorsement from the Legislature insular areas, whose 3.9 million Police Chief Antonio A. Reyes In an interview, Manglona said for the agreement since it has the residents “ are essentially power said yesterday he received a copy the government agreed not to wait authority to appropriate the less in the federal system.” of the report on the ballistics ex for a joint legislative resolution matching funds. De Lugo’s Insular Areas Policy amination Monday. endorsing the agreement so it Manglona, after receiving a let Act would establish a Cabinet “All the bullets and cartridges could be submitted to Assistant ter from Guerra asking for prompt Council on Insular Affairs. The (of the tested guns) did not match Interior Secretary Stella Guerra. transmittal of the agreement, council, which would be chaired the slugs recovered from the “We will transmit the new 702 called on the presiding officers of by the president’s chief domestic Ron de Lugo houses of the congressmen,” agreement with only a joint letter and foreign policy advisors, would authority in insular areas to inde Reyes said. both houses to speed up the ap of endorsement from the three top also include policy level officials pendent and local auditors. The Guam crime laboratory, proval. officials of the CNMI govern from all federal agencies and as “Mr. Speaker, I am introducing however, has yet to test one more Guerra said it was important ment,” he said Manglona. “ We sisted by a staff in the president’s this bill now so that all concerned firearm, a submachine gun from that the agreement be submitted executive office. in the insular areas and the federal the DPS armory which was not could not wait any longer.” as soon a£ possible so it could be The bill, if passed into law, will government can be ready to have included in the ballistics test Governor Lorenzo I. Guerrero, included in the federal budget. replace the Office of Territorial it considered at the beginning of conducted at the DPS mini Senate President Juan S. Demapan “ We will soon transmit the and International Affairs which the new Congress and a new ad shooting range on Sept 29. and Speaker Thomas P. new 70 2 agreement along with “lacks a clear insular policy mis ministration,” de Lugo said when Reyes said the Federal Bureau Villagomez will sign the joint let the joint letter to Interior sion and the authority that it would he introduced the bill. of Investigaton assisted the Guam ter as an endorsement from the which will then submit it to need to be effective.” “Its enactment will be among police in the task. executive and legislative US Congress for approval,” The Interior Department will my highest priorities next year The 62 firearms were issued to branches. Manglona said. retain its responsibilities for pro since it would provide the basis police officers, Customs Canine The agreement provides for a “ This is the end of my job with viding special assistance to insu for almost everything that can be Enforcement Services and the total of $275 million funding to regards to the 702 negotiations lar areas through an administrative done on insular matters,” he added. Attorney General’s Office. finance Commonwealth capital but if tapped by the governor to office but the president may The bill will require federal At least 20 of the firearms are development projects over an lobby US Congress for its ap transfer the department’s audit continued on page 3 continued on page 3 eight-year period. proval, I will do so,” he added. Pa c blewspfl.per Sshtcks !ι I' 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7,1992 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7,1992 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 De Lugo’s... continued from page 1 met. W Qrld Affairs administrations to consult with De Lugo said Senator J. Bennett the insular areas, adjust policies Johnston Jr. had introduced a to their needs and coordinate all similar bill in the Senate. The agency activities affecting insu primary difference is that the lar areas. Johnston bill would not establish China-Vietnam confrontation looms The proposed law will require an insular policy staff in the US administrations to report an President’s Office, although it By Denis D. Gray underwater. But they straddle vital Crestone Energy Coip., in an area tu ry. Canberra, said in a telephone in nually to Congress on insular would establish a similar Council sea lanes and rich fishing grounds, claimed by Vietnam. Also that Emphasis isbeingplacedonrapid terview. needs and how they should be on Insular Affairs. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam . and energy companies think they month,amilitary clash was reported economic development. “Attract Vietnam is not alone in i ts fears. wants to shift its society to making also may lie over large oil and along the Sino-Vietnamese border. foreign dollars” rather than “fight The Spratlys have jumped to the money rather than wars, but its natural gas fields. Public statements by the govern foreign foes” is the slogan of the forefront of security issues within Gov’t . leaders fear a confrontation may be China, Vietnam and Taiwan ments involved and other nations day. the Association of Southeast continued from page 1 cluded in the test because a nine- looming with its old enemy - China. claim all of the chain, which in the region stress that disputes Struggling with its economic Asian Nations, which includes the DPS property.