Four nabbed in P1.02-M drug sting

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Four persons were arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation in Mandurriao, Iloilo City afternoon of Oct 6, 2022.

Police identified the suspects as Reynaldo Cavintoy, 34, of Barangay Veterans Village, Iloilo City; Ivan Tacdoro, 33, of Barangay Sooc Arevalo, Iloilo City; and Nicanor Tremucha and Richard Selerio, both residents of Barangay Guzman, Mandurriao.

Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU)-6, together with personnel from the Iloilo City Police Station 5, collared the suspects for allegedly conspiring to sell a sachet of suspected shabu for P12,000.

The operation happened in a house being constructed inside the Village 2 of Anaros Subdivision in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao.

Recovered from the suspects were the marked money, two mobile phones, two motorcycles, and other non-drug items.

Police also seized from Cavintoy 22 sachets of suspected shabu; a caliber .22 revolver loaded with 8 ammunition; and five more ammunition.

Taken from Tremucha were a mobile phone, a digital weighing scale and 10 sachets of suspected shabu.

Selerio yielded two more sachets of suspected shabu from his possession.

Lieutenant Glen Soliman, RPDEU-6 team leader, said the seized drugs weighed around 150 grams and has a standard drug price of P1,020,000.

Cavintoy and Tremucha are listed as high-value individuals (HVIs) while Tacdoro and Selerio are considered street-level pushers.

Cavintoy was jailed for a drug-related offense but was released in September 2022 after availing of the plea-bargaining agreement.

Soliman said the shabu supply allegedly came from Cavintoy’s contacts.

The group gained access to the village as Tremucha works there as a construction worker.

Several residents have been complaining about suspicious persons going in and out of the subdivision at any time of the day.

Selerio acted as their lookout and the one tasked to escort buyers.

Soliman surmised that the group has been using the under-constructed house as their illegal drug den for about a month already.

The four suspects are now detained and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Cavintoy will also face a case for violation of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).