BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Around P8.5 million worth of suspected shabu weighing 1.25 kilos was confiscated in a drug buy-bust operation in Purok Bolinao, Barangay 1 here early yesterday morning.
Two suspects were also arrested – 27-year-old Alvin “Bin” Cristales of Purok Bolinao and 44-year-old Regina Escosio, a resident of Purok Lison, also in Barangay 1.
The shabu was intended for the trafficking in the ongoing MassKara Festival, according to the Bacolod City Police Office’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU).
It was packed in seven knot-tied plastic sachets and 23 transparent plastic sachets.
The suspects were detained at Police Station 2. They face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The world-renowned MassKara Festival is again being celebrated after a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The festival kicked off on Oct. 1 at the Bacolod City Government Center. Its highlight will be on Oct. 23 – the street and arena dance competition.
To augment security operations for the ongoing festival, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) deployed 315 personnel to Bacolod.
They are part of the more than 2,200 uniformed personnel and force multipliers tasked to maintain peace and order during the three-week festival./PN
