ILOILO — Police seized around P1.6 million worth of suspected shabu from two suspects in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Gogo, Estancia town on September 17.
The operation, conducted at around 11:50 p.m., led to the arrest of alias “JM,” 28, of Barangay Gogo, and his companion alias “Wenwen,” 36, of Barangay Pa-on. Both were classified as high-value targets.
Authorities recovered about 236 grams of suspected shabu.
According to Estancia police chief Major John Salvador Bello, the buy-bust followed several days of surveillance before the suspects agreed to sell P10,000 worth of illegal drugs. Bello confirmed it was the third time JM” had been arrested for drug-related offenses.
Last year, JM was also apprehended for illegal drugs but was released through a plea bargaining agreement after posting bail in another case.
“After JM was released from jail, he went back to his illegal activities, that’s why we transacted with him again,” Bello told Panay News.
Police said the suspects sourced their supply from Iloilo City.
They are now detained at the Estancia Municipal Police Station and face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Meanwhile, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) reported that in a separate series of operations from the morning of September 15 to September 16, five other suspects were arrested, yielding 115 grams of shabu.
IPPO director Colonel Bayani Razalan lauded the dedication of his personnel in pursuing high-value drug targets.
“Ginapasalamatan ko gid ang hugot nga pagsalig kag padayon nga suporta sang aton mga pinalangga nga kasimanwa. Dako gid ini nga bagay sa aton mga madinalag-on nga operasyon para tapnaon ang paglapta sang ilegal nga droga sa aton probinsya. Ini nga operasyon ang nagapakita nga kung maghugpong kag magbuligay ang pumuluyo kag kapulisan, wala sang ilegal nga buluhaton ang pwede magdugang sa aton komunidad,” Razalan said./PN
