ILOILO – The top drug suspect in this province was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Pasig in the northern town of Sara.
The 50-year-old Samuel Roche and his wife Lea were arrested in an entrapment operation on Dec. 18 staged by the Sara municipal police station and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).
Samuel allegedly sold to an undercover policeman a sachet of suspected shabu valued around P20,100.
PDEU chief Major Jonathan Pinuela said the suspect was reportedly operating in the province’s 5th district.
He added Roche is a businessman trading rice to Negros Occidental.
“When you’re into rice trading, you place the sample of the rice at a transparent ice wrapper. This is where the suspect hid the sachet of shabu,” Pinuela said.
Also recovered from the suspects were a .22-caliber revolver with 15 live cartridges, seven more sachets of suspected shabu, and a cellphone, the police added.
Colonel Roland Vilela, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, said Roche’s arrest left a big impact on the campaign against illegal drugs.
“His arrest will dramatically reduce the supply of illegal drugs in Iloilo, especially in the 5th district towns,” he added.
The couple will be charged with violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; and RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act.(With a report from PNA/PN)
