ILOILO – Dueñas town’s anti-drug operatives arrested a high-value suspect in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Minanga.
Alias “Nonong,” a resident of the town’s Barangay Poblacion D, yielded 70 grams of suspected shabu valued at approximately P476,000 and a fragmentation grenade.
He was caught by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the Dueñas Municipal Police Station (MPS) around 7:15 a.m. on Good Friday, April 18.
Police said the suspect has been under surveillance for a few months following reports from concerned citizens regarding his alleged involvement in the sale of illegal drugs and gun running operations in Dueñas, San Enrique, and Passi City, among others.
The suspect was detained at Dueñas MPS, facing charges under Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 9516 regarding illegal possession of explosives.
Police Colonel Bayani M. Razalan, director of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO), praised the outstanding efforts of the SDET operatives, reaffirming IPPO’s dedication to dismantling illegal drug networks within the province.
“We will not permit illegal drugs to take hold in Iloilo. While the Christian community observes Holy Week, this is not an excuse for Ilonggo Cops to lower their guard against drug pushers who may seek to exploit this time to further their illegal activities. This arrest underscores our relentless campaign against drug criminals, and we will persist in our pursuit of them,” Razalan added./PN
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