ILOILO City – Five suspected drug personalities were arrested and some P4.4 million worth of shabu were seized during a buy-bust operation Saturday evening, September 6, in Barangay Padios, Sara, Iloilo.
Police identified the suspects as aliases “Brok Brok,” 37, a former seafarer from Barangay Bancal, Carles; “Anthony,” 57, of Barangay Bolaqueña, Estancia; “Dex,” 44, of Barangay Poblacion, Carles; “Neng,” 21, of Barangay Dayhagan, Carles; and “May May,” 50, jobless, of Barangay Bancal, Lemery.
Major Dadjie Delima, chief of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), said the suspects had been under surveillance for more than a week before agreeing to sell P15,000 worth of shabu to an undercover operative.
The operation was carried out at 7:57 p.m. and resulted in the confiscation of 650 grams of shabu valued at P4.4 million. A homemade .9mm pistol was also recovered from Dex.
Delima revealed the group had long been targeted since last year but had proven elusive. He added that their drug supply allegedly came from Manila and, at times, from a local supplier in Barangay Boulevard, Molo, Iloilo City. The suspects were said to be operating in Iloilo and Capiz provinces.
IPPO director Colonel Bayani Razalan lauded the PDEU personnel for their relentless efforts.
“Ginadayaw ko ang aton operating team sa ila padayon nga pagpanikasog kag dedikasyon sa paglagas sang mga high-value drug personalities sa probinsya. Ang pagdakop kay Brok nagasimbolo sang daku nga kadalag-an sa aton kampanya batok sa ilegal nga droga,” Razalan said.
The suspects are now detained at the Sara Police Station and will face charges for violating Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Dex” will also be charged under RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act)./PN
