Graduating criminology student arrested in Bacolod drug bust

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — A 22-year-old criminology student who was about to graduate ended up behind bars after police allegedly seized 21 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP 142,800 during a buy-bust operation in Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 here on Monday.

Arrested was “Mak,” a resident of the barangay who was tagged by police as a street-level individual.

Police Maj. Eugene Tolentino, head of Police Station 2, said the suspect allegedly sold shabu to a police agent for PHP 500.

Tolentino said Mak’s name surfaced last year after previously arrested drug suspects identified him as their alleged companion in the illegal drug trade.

He added that police conducted close monitoring for two weeks before launching the buy-bust operation.

Tolentino said Mak denied the allegation, while his family claimed they did not know about his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Drug charges have been filed against the suspect.

The operation, according to the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region, or PRO-NIR, highlighted the police force’s resolve to suppress illegal drug activities and protect communities from the destructive impact of narcotics.

The arrest also came as PRO-NIR wrapped up its simultaneous anti-criminality and law enforcement operations, or SACLEO, across the region from March 1 to 14.

Police said the synchronized and intelligence-driven campaign resulted in 416 law enforcement actions targeting criminal elements and other threats to public safety.

In the campaign against wanted persons, police conducted 151 operations that led to the arrest of 163 individuals.

Those arrested included 43 most wanted persons and 120 other wanted persons.

In its anti-illegal drug drive, PRO-NIR carried out 107 operations that led to the arrest of 126 drug personalities.

The arrested drug suspects included 10 high-value individuals, 95 street-level individuals and 21 others not on the official watch list.

Police said the anti-drug operations resulted in the seizure of about 1,028.45 grams of shabu and 46 grams of marijuana with a standard drug price of PHP 6,972,795.60.

In 83 operations against illegal firearms, the regional office apprehended 26 individuals and confiscated 60 loose firearms.

Police also reported the voluntary surrender of 37 firearms and the deposit of eight more firearms.

In its campaign against illegal gambling, PRO-NIR conducted 44 operations that resulted in the arrest of 95 individuals and the seizure of PHP 20,963 in bet money.

In operations against smuggled and illicit cigarettes, police conducted 22 operations that led to the arrest of one individual and the confiscation of smuggled and illicit cigarettes worth PHP 5,834,700.

In implementing search warrants, the regional office also served eight warrants for violations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Those operations resulted in the arrest of seven individuals and the confiscation of 12 loose firearms, one explosive and 34 rounds of ammunition.

Police also served a search warrant for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

That operation led to the arrest of one high-value individual and the confiscation of 66.3 grams of shabu worth PHP 450,840.

PRO-NIR said it will continue intelligence-driven enforcement efforts across the Negros Island Region, which covers Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.