ILOILO City – Authorities dealt a major blow to the illegal drug trade in Western Visayas after seizing nearly P14 million worth of shabu and arresting three suspected high-value drug personalities during a buy-bust operation in Oton, Iloilo early Sunday morning.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said the seizure significantly disrupted the illegal drug supply chain in Western Visayas.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of 2,055 grams, or more than two kilos, of shabu with an estimated standard drug price of P13.974 million and the arrest of three suspects identified only by their aliases “Boss,” 26; “Jude,” 32; and “Choco,” 28. All three were classified as high-value individuals (HVIs) and are originally from Molo, Iloilo City.
The suspects were arrested at around 1:02 a.m. at Florvel Subdivision in Barangay Buray, Oton, following a month-long intelligence operation conducted by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RDEU-6), Regional Intelligence Division 6, Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group – Special Operations Unit 6, and the Oton Municipal Police Station.
According to Police Captain Glen Soliman of the RDEU-6, the suspects had been under surveillance for more than a month before they agreed to negotiate with a police asset and sell P100,000 worth of shabu, leading to their arrest.
Police Colonel Arnel Solis, chief of the Oton Municipal Police Station and spokesperson of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, said the suspects moved to Oton in an attempt to evade authorities.
He added that investigators believe the trio served as a major distribution arm of a larger drug syndicate operating in the region.
Operatives recovered 22 knot-tied transparent plastic bags and 11 heat-sealed sachets containing suspected shabu during the operation.
Police also disclosed that one of the suspects, alias “Jude,” has previous cases involving homicide and illegal drugs.
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, acting regional director of PRO-6, hailed the operation as a significant disruption of the region’s illegal drug supply chain.
“This successful operation demonstrates the effectiveness of our intelligence-driven anti-illegal drug campaign. With the unwavering dedication of our personnel, sustained coordination, and active support of the community, PRO-6 was able to confiscate a substantial volume of illegal drugs and arrest three high-value individuals, significantly disrupting the illegal drug supply chain in Western Visayas,” Tuaño said.
Tuaño emphasized that PRO-6 would continue intensifying intelligence-driven operations and targeting high-value individuals while strengthening partnerships with communities in the campaign against illegal drugs.
The three suspects remain in police custody and are facing charges for violating Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN
