P306,000 worth of ‘shabu’ seized

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man was again arrested for possessing 45 grams of suspected shabu worth P306,000 in Barangay Gen. Luna, Toboso, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

The subject was identified as Ricky Tocaste, 33, of the said village.

Police Major Jun Ray Batadlan, town police chief, said Tocaste’s name was linked to the drug trade recently, prompting them to monitor his movements.

Batadlan said Tocaste was arrested in 2017 for the same offense but was released from jail through plea bargaining.

From then, Batadlan said Tocaste allegedly did not stop engaging in the illegal drug trade.

“Wala man gid siya nadula. Ara lang siya. Galing sini lang gid ya na binulan na nagkusog iya baligya,” he said.

Police also confiscated from him the P500 marked money, weighing scale, and other drug paraphernalia.

Batadlan said Tocaste allegedly disposes his illegal drugs in neighboring areas like Escalante City and Calatrava town.

Tocaste will be charged for sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs, and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, lauded the operating team for this huge accomplishment.

“Sana ay huwag kayong magsawa na tugisin ang mga drug personalities sa inyong lugar,” Villaflor said in a statement.

“Umaapila din po kami sa ating mga kababayan na makipagtulungan sa amin kung may mga impormasyon po kayong nalalaman para sa ikakatagumpay ng aming bawat operasyon,” Villaflor said.

Sama-sama po tayo sa labang ito, para sa mas magandang bukas ng ating mga mahal sa buhay,” he added.