Cordi drug mafia leader arrested in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- The “top drug personality” and alleged leader of the Nider Drug Group,  a notorious and long-existing drug group operating in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions was arrested by narcotics against  here  Nov. 12.

Arthur Nider Sr.. 53 of Metro Manila, and resident of Sunny Side, Lower Fairview and 70 Simsim Compound, Maria Basa, Pacdal, both in Baguio City, was nabbed at Purok 8, Apugan here at Barangay Upper Irisan in a sting operation.

Arresting officers of the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were directly supervised by PDEA regional director Ronald Allan DG Ricardo.

 A PDEA press statement said Nider sold two sachets of shabu to one of the agents who posed as buyer, while the maroon-colored, Honda  vehicle, which Nider used for the entrapment deal was also seized, among other various non-drug items.

 A case for Violation of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), specifically Sale of Dangerous Drugs will be filed in court against Nider.

 The PDEA statement said Nider was once arrested with 3.20 grams of shabu by city police.

But the criminal case filed against him and cohort, Christopher Diata, was dismissed nearly ten months later, on Nov. 9, 2006.

Nider reportedly claimed he had been incarcerated in Muntinlupa for a murder case.

 The Nider group, which is allegedly affiliated with the Bahala Na gang, includes two brothers and a nephew.

One of Nider’s members was earlier sentenced to life term, one died of shabu overdose, while another member is now paralytic due to alleged abuse of drugs.