Four arrested in PHP 1.15 million Jaro drug bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Four individuals were arrested during a police anti-narcotics operation on the evening of Sept. 23 in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Police identified the suspects only by their aliases: Tenkz, 46, of Alta Tierra Village, Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro; John, 39, of Barangay Jibao-an, Pavia, Iloilo; Niel, 35, a call center agent from Barangay Cagamutan Sur, Leganes, Iloilo; and JK, 20, a first-year college student from Barangay Aguisipan, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6) conducted a buy-bust operation at the residence of Tenkz.

Tenkz allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu for PHP 12,000 to an undercover operative.

Maj. Marvin Villanueva, RPDEU-6 deputy chief, said the suspects were found in possession of 23 plastic sachets and two knot-tied plastic bags containing suspected shabu.

The seized drugs had an estimated weight of 170 grams with a standard drug price of PHP 1,156,000.

Villanueva said the arrests followed a two-month surveillance operation.

Authorities believe the suspects sourced their supply from Bacolod City and transported it to Iloilo via a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel.

Police records show that John had a prior drug-related arrest and was released in 2021 after entering a plea bargaining agreement.

The suspects are now in police custody and will face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.