Ex-con falls in P884K drug sting

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Sachets of suspected shabu worth P884,000 were seized in a police anti-narcotics operation late evening of Nov 21, 2022 in Dumangas, Iloilo.

Police identified the suspect as Kelly Castro, 49, a resident of Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro, Iloilo City.

Members of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG)-Special Operations Unit-6 and Dumangas Municipal Police Station arrested Castro after he allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer.

Recovered from the suspect were six sachets of suspected shabu, the marked money, and several non-drug items.

Major Kenn Albert Lepsia, Dumangas police chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 130 grams.
The transaction between Castro and the police operatives started in Iloilo City.

It was moved to other places before they finally agreed to a meet-up at Sitio Pantalan, Barangay Dacutan, Dumangas.

“We presumed he had also scheduled for other meet-ups that’s why he was carrying a big volume of illegal drugs,” Lepsia said.

Castro claimed he was nabbed for a drug-related offense in 2015 only to change it to 2019 when asked again.

He was allegedly released after availing of the plea bargaining agreement.

“We couldn’t talk to him coherently. He appeared to be high on drugs,” Lepsia said.

Police have not disclosed the suspect’s source of illegal drugs since that would be the subject of their next drug operation.

Castro is presently detained and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).