BY MAI LADIAO
ILOILO City – In the early hours of March 8, law enforcement authorities conducted a meticulously planned buy-bust operation targeting a high-value suspect involved in the illegal drug trade.
The operation in Barangay Guinticgan, Carles, Iloilo resulted in the seizure of approximately P1.088 million worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of alias “Payjee,” a 25-year-old male resident of Barangay Alacaygan, Banate, Iloilo.
“Payjee” was apprehended at 2:03 a.m. after he handed over a medium-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic bag containing suspected illegal drugs to a police poseur buyer in exchange for P7,000.
The buy-bust, led by Major Harold Rendora, chief of the Carles Municipal Police Station-Station Drug Enforcement Team, was the culmination of over two weeks of surveillance.
Among the confiscations, apart from the buy-bust items, are one knot-tied plastic sachet and twenty pieces of medium-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu and one motorcycle with an ignition key.
The apprehended person is currently in police custody, facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Meanwhile, in Iloilo City, on Thursday, March 7, suspected shabu valued at P346,800 was intercepted in a drug operation in the City Proper district.
Joint law enforcement personnel executed a buy-bust operation at approximately 5:50 p.m. on Burgos Street, Barangay Ortiz.
The operation led to the apprehension of alias “Buknoy,” a 24-year-old male pedicab driver.
He was identified by the police as a high-value suspect and on the list of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council.
Recovered from the possession of “Buknoy” were: one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu (buy-bust item), 14 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing the illegal substance, buy-bust money, and other non-drug items.
The arrested individual is currently detained at the custodial facility of Iloilo City Police Station 1 pending the proper disposition and filing of drug-related charges./PN
